RD339 - Parole Risk Assessment Instrument Feasibility Report - November 15, 2010


Executive Summary:
Pursuant to Item 370, Paragraph E, of the 2010 Appropriation Act (Chapter 874, 2010 Acts of Assembly), the Secretary of Public Safety’s Office, in consultation with the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, the Virginia Parole Board, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Planning and Budget, respectfully submits the following finding on the feasibility of utilizing a risk assessment instrument in parole determinations.

Additional information is always desirable and helpful to decision makers or to those making recommendations to the decision makers such as the Parole Board. Risk assessment instruments can be a factor to be considered along with many other factors in determining whether an inmate is suitable for discretionary parole. Risk assessment instruments are not designed to replace professional judgment, but to assist in making virtuous parole determinations.

In considering the feasibility of utilizing a risk assessment instrument, a variety of possibilities were reviewed to determine what might be available or could be developed, the time frame required and the potential cost to the Commonwealth. Consideration was given to whether validation studies have been done and whether or not a particular instrument would be appropriate for Virginia’s parole-eligible population. Consideration was also given to the cost.

The Department of Corrections (DOC) has been working with a vendor called Northpointe, Inc. for four years to develop and implement a risk and needs assessment evaluations on all incarcerated inmates including those who are parole eligible beginning in January 2011. The Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS) program will assess key risk and need factors in adult correctional populations and provide decision support for justice professionals.

As inmates are evaluated using COMPAS, the risk assessment scales will become available to the parole examiners and to the Parole Board and will be considered as a factor in the recommendation and decision-making process. Over time, the results will be analyzed and evaluated to determine the validity of the instrument to Virginia’s parole eligible population and whether modifications can and should be made. The potential cost of any such changes will have to be evaluated. Considering the investment that has been made, using COMPAS to provide risk assessment information appears to be the most cost effective way to proceed at the present time. Should the results of the evaluation indicate that the COMPAS Risk Assessment Instrument is not appropriate for the Virginia parole eligible population, other options will be explored.