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July 19, 2019

"The First Step Act of 2018: Risk and Needs Assessment System"

The title of this post is the title of this all-important 102-page document which was required by the FIRST STEP Act and was delivered on time by US Attorney General William Barr.  Here is the document's introduction:

On December 21, 2018, President Donald J. Trump signed the First Step Act of 2018 into law.  Title I of the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA or the Act) is focused on reforms to reduce recidivism among the federal prison population.  Many of Title I’s reforms hinge on the creation of a risk and needs assessment system.

Under the FSA, the Attorney General is charged with developing and releasing a risk and needs assessment system for use in the federal prison system.  With this report, Attorney General William P. Barr releases the First Step Act of 2018 Risk and Needs Assessment System.

This report outlines the work of the Department of Justice to develop and implement the Risk and Needs Assessment System (System).  It also introduces the new System that the Federal Bureau of Prisons will deploy in its facilities.  And the report announces the Department of Justice’s strategic plan to evaluate, validate, and enhance the System over time.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1, Developing the First Step Act of 2018 Risk and Needs Assessment System, details the requirements of the FSA regarding the development of a risk and needs assessment system, including the responsibilities of the Attorney General and the Independent Review Committee.  This chapter also summarizes the Department of Justice’s work to fully implement the Act’s requirements in creating the System.

Chapter 2

In Chapter 2, Characteristics of an Effective Risk and Needs Assessment System, this report identifies those characteristics and principles that are fundamental to developing an effective risk and needs assessment system.  This chapter also describes the valuable data and information that the Department of Justice received from our federal and state partners and experts in the field on developing a strong risk and needs assessment system. These characteristics, principles, and data informed the development of the System.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3, Te First Step Act of 2018 Risk and Needs Assessment System, describes the adopted System in detail, including the new assessment tool that will be deployed in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. This chapter then provides an explanation of the strengths of the tool and enhancements offered by the new System.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4, Implementing the First Step Act of 2018 Risk and Needs Assessment System, presents the Department’s strategic plan to fully and completely implement the System in the field. It also includes an agenda for continued engagement with experts, stakeholders, and the public on the System. Te chapter concludes by describing the significant resources that the Department of Justice is expending and will expend to implement the System.

July 19, 2019 at 09:25 PM | Permalink

Comments

That is a long, pretty document that says the Risk Assessment program is pretty much exactly what they have been doing to figure out custody levels (camp/minimum, low, medium, high) forever, since 2006 or earlier. https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5100_008.pdf

It's not a sophisticated system.

Posted by: Fat Bastard | Jul 19, 2019 10:03:31 PM

Sir these kids , men like my son not getting the drug help he needs he asked they refuse this is not right for a no. Violent drug offender and a first time possession of a firearm should not be a violent crime in the eyes of the NOP my son never hurt any one ! The prisons are flowing with drugs and we did do not bring them in ! There property gets stolen we have to pay gr it all when we can’t even write it off ! Segregation for long periods of tome is mentally hurting them ! My son needs drug help ! That’s what his crimes stemmed from and his record is morning like the ones you already released from prison ! The poi t system is disgusting and the guidelines have not been changed in years ! They make it so they fail to keep them in USP Penns where they don’t belong in the first place ! And mine is 587 miles from home ‘ and he relapsed 2 times in 6 years on a blocker which is good for a addict that had a heroin addiction of $250 a day habit !! They need help not segregated long time ! Confinement for Addict’s is really bad ! Please stop this ! Please be a good kid never hurt anyone but himself !

Posted by: Denise Hansen | Jul 31, 2019 12:14:43 PM

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