Getting Into Practice:Using Evidence Based Practices on the Job

Goals for Today• Getting ready • Review Risk, Need, Responsivity Principles• Caseload Management Based on Risk

Level• Caseload focus based on Needs and

Responsivity• How to Use Motivational Interviewing

Depending on Stage of Change• Cognitive Behavioral Interventions• Wording for Court Reports• Creating case plans

Are you Ready?

• Enforcer or Social Worker?• Is the system broken?• Are offenders capable of change?• Compliance or Long-Term Change?• Should offenders know we’re trying

to change them?• Do you dislike your clientele?

Are You Ready

• Are you ready for Collaboration?• Are you ready for Creativity?• Are you here to Help People?• Are you here to Help Society?• Are you feeling Competent?

Social Worker or Enforcer

Broken System

Offender Change

Compliance and Long Term Change

Secret Strategies

Collaboration

Creativity

Helping Offenders

Improve Society

Confidence Level

The Principles That Came From the What Works Research

RISK PRINCIPLENEEDS PRINCIPLE

RESPONSIVITY PRINCIPLEand

“professional discretion”

A Definition of Motivational Interviewing

“A directive, client-centered counseling style for helping clients explore and resolve ambivalence about behavior change.”

William R. Miller, 1991

RISK PRINCIPLE

Match level of services to level of risk

Higher Risk Offenders need MORE

Lower Risk Offenders need LESS

1

Measure with Assessment Tools

Diversion

For lower risk offenders

Court Reports

• New information for Judges

Prison Resources

• Limited – but essential

Violations

• Graduated Sanctions

Vary the Amount of Contact Depending on Risk Levels

• Different Strokes for Different Folks

Excellence in Evaluations

• The right assessment instruments• Good training for evaluators• Timely and on-going risk assessments

Manage Efficiently

• Technology and Creativity– Para-professionals, Teams, Kiosks, Phone

Reporting

NEEDS PRINCIPLE

Match Offenders to

Services

That address

Criminogenic Needs

2

Stages of Change Model

Relapse

Pre-contemplation

Contemplation

Determination

Maintenance

Action

PERMANENT EXIT

ENTER HERE

Prochaska & DiClemente (1986)

Major Motivational Interviewing Skills

Open-Ended QuestionsAffirmationsReflectionsSummarizations

Miller and Rollnick (1991), “Motivational Interviewing”, Guilford Press.

Pre-Contemplationno awareness of a problem

• Listen to the offender’s thinking process• Notice discrepincies between what the

offender wants in life and how he/she behaves• Develop discrepancies by using MI skills

Amber in Pre-Contemplation

• Amber is 32 year old• Drug offender -On parole• Goal: Wants to stay out of prison• Risk Factors:

School and Work ProblemsUnproductive Use of Leisure TimeSubstance Abuse, Anti-social Peers

Robbie in Pre Contemplation

• Robbie is 16 years old • Auto Theft -On Probation• Goal: Wants his mother to just “back-off” • Risks Factors:

Dysfunctional familyAnti-social valuesLow Self-Control

Kevin in Pre contemplation

• Kevin is 45 years old• DV Offender - on Probation• Goal: To be a good father• Risk Factors:

Anti-Social ValuesJust a little PsychopothyLow Self-ControlDysfunctional Family

Contemplationbeginning to see possibilities

• Explore ambivalence with MI Skills• Identify Pros and Cons• Weigh Both Sides

Amber in Contemplation

• Considering a life with not drugs• Says it would be too hard to stop

Robbie in Contemplation

• Robbie sees a connection between his behavior and the family dynamics at home

• He doesn’t know what to do about it though

Kevin in Contemplation

• Kevin is concerned about how his behavior might be affecting his son

• Kevin says he doesn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps and

says he wants a better relationship with his family

Determinationdecided to try something new

• Remove obstacles• Identify steps to Change• Make a Plan• Set Dates

Amber in Determination

• Amber has decided she’ll do whatever it takes to try to remove drugs from her life

Robbie in Determination

• Robbie has decided that there are things he can do to have a better relationship with his mother and wants to learn how he can change things at home.

Kevin in Determination

• Kevin decides he’s ready to enroll in the DV program even though he doesn’t think he can really learn anything new

Actionmaking some changes

• Acknowledge actions• Remove barriers• Provide Positive Reinforcement• Support Self-Efficacy

Amber in Action

• Amber has been going to substance abuse treatment for a month

• She has tested clean for a month

Robbie in Action• Robbie has attended an anti-theft

class for two months• He has used his pro-social cousin Rick as a resource, and has avoided conflicts with his mother.

Kevin in Action

• Kevin brings in a progress report from his DV treatment program which says he has good insight but monopolizes the group’s time.

Maintenancestability with behavior change

• Develop skills to Maintain Behavior• Continue to Support Self-Efficacy • Continue to Remove Obstacles

Amber in Maintenance

• Amber has been clean for nine months

• She’s starting to think about some plans for her future

Robbie in Maintenance

• Robbie is getting along with both his parents

• He has started using some new skills to avoid arguments at home.

• He has changed the peers he hangs out with

Kevin in Maintenance

• Kevin has been in treatment for nine months

• Kevin and his wife are getting along much better

• Kevin thinks he’s learned a lot in treatment

Relapsereturning to old behavior

• Learn from Mistakes• Figure Out What To Do Next• Determine which state of change the

offender is in after relapsing

Amber in Relapse

• Amber spent some time with old friends and used again.

• She’s very remorseful and disappointed in herself

Robbie in Relapse

• Robbie is suspended for talking back to his teacher.

• He blames the teacher for the incident and doesn’t take any responsibility

Kevin in Relapse• Kevin was rearrested for hitting his

wife.• He’s sorry his wife and son are afraid

of him again. • He’s very upset about being in jail

Criminal Personality

AKA

ANTI-SOCIAL PERSONALITY Or

PSYCHOPATHY

Extreme Callousness, grandiosity and irresponsibility

Thinking Distortions

Thinking Distortions

• All or Nothing• Overgeneralization• Mental Filter• Disqualifying the Positive• Jumping to Conclusions

Thinking Distortions• Magnification or Minimization• Emotional Reasoning• Should Statements• Labeling• Personalization

Cognitive Behavioral Interventions Increase Awareness

and Challenge Thinking

• Challenge Thinking• Analysis of Antecedents and

Consequences• Keeping Journals• Rating Your Feelings

Cognitive BehavioralActivities Leading to Change

• Thought Stopping• Homework assignments• Time-Outs• Relaxation Techniques• Contracts • Token Economies• Positive Reinforcement• Modeling• Skill Training• Role Playing • Coaching

Cognitive Behavioral Focus

• Engagement• Cognitive Restructuring• Emotional Regulation• Social Skills• Problem Solving• Relapse Prevention

Criminogenic Needs and Court Reports

• Formatting• Conditions• Wording

NEEDS PRINCIPLE Match Offenders to

Services

That address

Criminogenic Needs

2

Stages of Change Model

Relapse

Pre-contemplation

Contemplation

Determination

Maintenance

Action

PERMANENT EXIT

ENTER HERE

Prochaska & DiClemente (1986)

RESPONSIVITY PRINCIPLE

Match Treatment Type to Individual Characteristics of

Offenders

3

RESPONSIVITY FACTORS

• General population: – Gender, ethnicity, race, age, mental

illness, depression, anxiety, language• Criminal Population:

– Poor social skills, inadequate problem solving, concrete thinking processes, poor verbal skills, learning style, motivation (Bonta, 1995)

Other Client Issues

• Special problem areas not necessarily related to recidivism but particularly important in the offender’s life

Case Plan

• Risk Score• Risk Factors• Motivation Stage• Strengths• Interventions• Due Dates• Responsivity Factors• Other Client Issues

CENTRAL

CRIMINOGENIC NEEDS

1. Anti-Social Values 2. Criminal Peers3. Low Self Control 4. Criminal Personality 5. Dysfunctional Family6. School and Work Problems7. Unproductive Use of Leisure Time8. Substance Abuse

Role Models

• Criminal Justice Professional• Pro-social Family Members• Pro-social Peers• Pro-social Employers• Community Mentors

– Church– Mentoring Programs– Community Members

ANTI-SOCIAL THINKING

• Role Models• Information• Cognitive-Behavioral Restructuring• Motivation• Empathy• Acknowledgement

Conditions

• General• Flexible• Linked to Risk Factors• Offense Specific

Sample Wording for Court Reports

• Name the Instrument• Explain what it Measures• Give the offender’s Risk level compared

to other offenders• Identify Criminogenic Risk Factors and

other client issues• List appropriate interventions and explain how they relate to risk factors