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The brief draws on literature on risk/needs assessments in the criminal legal system and grantee survey data collected from 89 community-based organizations (CBOs) that were awarded U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Reentry Project (RP) grants from 2017 to 2019. The brief has four objectives: (1) describe how risk/needs assessments work, (2) detail which risk/needs assessment tools that CBOs participating in the RP grants used, (3) discuss how reentry service agencies use risk/needs assessment tools in offering employment-focused reentry services, and (4) describe three potential issues with using risk/needs assessments and potential strategies for reentry employment agencies to mitigate them.

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Key Takeaways

• Eighty-four percent of the CBOs that participated in RP grants conducted participant risk/needs assessments, according to the grantee survey.
• Among the RP CBO grantees surveyed, 98 of those that used a risk/needs assessment reported using the tool in their participant screening process and 85 percent in the development of Individual Development Plans (IDPs).
• There are strategies to mitigate potential issues and improve the usefulness of assessments.

Citation

Stein, J., Pranschke, L., Pasternack, E. (2022). Mathematica. Using Risk/Needs Assessments in Reentry Services. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.