Risk Assessment Instruments to Predict Recidivism of Sex Offenders: Practices in Washington State

This paper reviews policies and practices regarding assessment of sex offenders for risk of reoffense among public agencies and private treatment providers in Washington State. Specifically, we reviewed the use of risk assessment instruments, which gauge the likelihood that individual sex offenders will reoffend.

We found that a diverse set of instruments are employed by public and private entities in making decisions about sex offenders. These decisions include sentencing, facility assignment, treatment, release, public notification, and community supervision. As expected, there was greater variability in risk assessment practices among private treatment providers than public agencies.

The Effectiveness of Reentry Programs for Incarcerated Persons: Findings for the Washington Statewide Reentry Council

The 2016 Washington State Legislature created the Statewide Reentry Council with the goals of reducing recidivism and improving other outcomes for people who return to the community after incarceration. This legislation also directed WSIPP to examine the effectiveness of reentry programs through a systematic review of the research literature.

Using WSIPP’s standardized procedures, we examined 59 programs to estimate their average effectiveness in reducing recidivism and improving other outcomes. In this report, we describe our meta-analytic and benefit-cost findings for these programs.

Research Findings on Adult Corrections' Programs: A Review

At the request of the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Institute for Public Policy summarized what is known about the effectiveness of adult correctional programs in reducing recidivism. The report covers programs in seven areas: substance abuse treatment, education, employment, sex offender treatment, cognitive behavioral treatment, life skills training, and intensive supervision. The focus is on fairly recent programs that have been evaluated using a control or comparison group design. Each program area is summarized and individual programs are reviewed in light of their effectiveness in reducing criminal recidivism.

Adult Sex Offender Recidivism: A Review of Studies

Sex offenders may re-offend, even after they have been convicted and imprisoned. This conduct is known as recidivism. Research on sex offender recidivism can help the public and policymakers understand the risks posed by convicted sex offenders. This paper summarizes the major research findings related to sex offender recidivism.

Evidence-Based Public Policy Options to Reduce Crime and Criminal Justice Costs: Implications in Washington State

In 2006, long-term forecasts indicated that Washington faced the need to construct several new prisons in the following two decades. Since new prisons are costly, the legislature directed the Institute to project whether there are “evidence-based” options that can reduce the future need for prison beds, save money for state and local taxpayers, and contribute to lower crime rates. As part of a systematic review of the research evidence, we found and analyzed 545 comparison-group evaluations of adult corrections, juvenile corrections, and prevention programs to determine what works, if anything, to reduce crime. We then estimated the benefits and costs of many of these evidence-based options and found that some evidence-based programs produce favorable returns on investment. This paper presents our findings and describes our meta-analytic and economic methods.

Washington State’s Family Integrated Transitions Program for Juvenile Offenders: Outcome Evaluation and Benefit-Cost Analysis

In 2000, the Washington State Legislature initiated a pilot rehabilitation program for juvenile offenders sentenced to a state juvenile justice institution. The program focuses on offenders with “co-occurring” substance abuse and mental health disorders. Offenders with both of these conditions are known to pose a high risk for committing new crimes upon re-entry to the community. The program—called the Family Integrated Transitions (FIT) program—was designed and implemented by Eric Trupin, Ph.D., and David Stewart, Ph.D., from the University of Washington. The program uses a combination of evidence-based approaches tailored to the particular needs of these high-risk youth. In this report, we present findings on the effectiveness of FIT in reducing recidivism, as well as an analysis of the program’s benefits and costs.

Community Notification in Washington State: 1996 Survey of Law Enforcement

In August and September of 1996, the Institute conducted a survey of law enforcement to solicit information on community notification procedures throughout Washington State. The report describes sex offender harassment incidents and methods law enforcement use to reduce these incidents, including community meetings.

Inpatient Psychiatric Capacity in Washington State: Assessing Future Needs and Impacts (Part One)

In 2010, the Washington State Legislature amended the legal guidelines for Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) commitments to allow a Designated Mental Health Professional (DMHP) to more fully consider reasonably available information about individuals from credible witnesses and historical records (RCW 71.05.212). These statutory changes will take effect in 2012. The Legislature directed the Institute to assess the potential impact of these changes.

This paper discusses trends in both the utilization of inpatient psychiatric treatment beds and changes in the capacity of these facilities to admit patients. To assess potential increases in psychiatric admissions as a result of this law, we conducted a survey that asked DMHPs to review ITA cases during a one-week period in 2010. Based on this survey, we estimate that the commitment rate could increase from 40 percent to between 45 and 55 percent of all investigations as a result of the statutory changes. Between 42 and 168 additional psychiatric beds (above current capacity) would be necessary to accommodate this growth in admissions.

Updated Inventory of Evidence-based, Research-based, and Promising Practices for Prevention and Intervention Services for Children and Juveniles in the Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Mental Health Systems

Inventory of Evidence-Based, Research-Based, and Promising Practices
For Prevention and Intervention Services for Children and Juveniles
in the Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Mental Health Systems

The 2012 Legislature passed E2SHB 2536 with the intention that “prevention and intervention services delivered to children and juveniles in the areas of mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice be primarily evidence-based and research-based, and it is anticipated that such services will be provided in a manner that is culturally competent.”

The bill directs the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) and the University of Washington Evidence-Based Practice Institute (UW) to publish descriptive definitions and prepare an inventory of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices and services, and to periodically update the inventory as more practices are identified. This is the third update to the September 30, 2012 publication. The accompanying report describes the inventory update process, as well as the ongoing technical assistance process by UW.

Sexual Predator Commitment Laws in the United States: 1998 Update

As of 1998, twelve states had statutes authorizing the confinement and treatment of highly dangerous sex offenders following completion of their criminal sentence: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. This report describes sexual predator laws and compares several of their key provisions.