General Instructions for Using the
JCP Risk Assessment 2006.1
The JCP Risk Assessment was developed by the Oregon Juvenile Department Directors’ Association (OJDDA) for use by Oregon County Juvenile Departments to identify risk and protective factors that put youth at risk of delinquency, and to use this information to guide decisions regarding level and type of intervention and/or supervision.
PREPARING
TO COMPELTE A JCP RISK ASSESSMENT 2006.1
This document provides general instructions for using the three types of assessments included on the JCP Risk Assessment 2006.1: Initial Assessment; Risk Reassessment, and JCP Program Evaluation Reassessment. For detailed instructions for completing each section and each question, please see: JCP Risk Assessment – 2006.1: Specific Instructions for Each Section and Question” Both the general instructions here, and the more detailed section and question instructions must be read before attempting to complete the JCP Risk Assessment 2006.1 for the first time.
Information needed to complete the JCP Risk Assessment 2006.1 should be gathered by interviewing the youth, family, and other sources, as well as checking official school, court, and other records. For sample interview or survey questions, please see “Screener Prompt Sheet,” “Sample Interview Questions, and Youth and Parent/Family Surveys at www.ojdda.org/Risk.
Additional training information and materials are available at www.ojdda.org/Risk.
TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS ON JCP 2006.1 AND
STEPS FOR COMPLETING REASSESSMENT
1. Initial Assessment: An initial assessment is completed when a youth is first referred in person to a juvenile department. An initial assessment should also be used for youth who are returning after their case has been closed, or for youth who do not qualify for a JCP Risk Reassessment or JCP Program Evaluation Reassessment (see definitions below
3. JCP Risk Reassessment: Response to supervision is an important predictor of future behavior. With the JCP 2006.1, reassessment of youth who are under formal or informal juvenile department supervision has been enhanced by adjusting the initial risk score to take into account how supervision, treatment, and the youth’s response to supervision impact behavior. All of the questions on the initial assessment are also on the JCP Risk Reassessment.
Reassessments
can be built and based on a prior assessment, and then updated. A
reassessment must also be linked to the most recent prior assessment in order
for JJIS to perform automated criminal history and other calculations.
Local Decisions & Actions: The reassessment addendum was designed to be somewhat flexible in its use. This flexibility, however, means that county juvenile departments must first make several decisions before having their staff use the risk reassessment sections of JCP 2006.1 (sections 14.0 through 22.0). These decisions (made by your Juvenile Director) should include:
(Examples of pilot county definitions can be found in the document “JCP Reassessment Local and Technical Guidelines and Frequent Asked Questions)
Summary
of steps for completing a JCP Risk Reassessment:
A. Search for youth or work from your caseload.
B. Bring up available assessments. Select “JCP Risk Assessment – 2006.1.”
C. Select “Build and Base On” (see JJIS User Guide Instructions for “Build and Base
Assessment on a Previous Assessment”).
D. Link the new assessment to the most recent prior assessment (see JJIS User Guide
instructions “Link Assessment to Prior Assessment”).
E. Check “JCP Risk Reassessment” under item 1.5.
F. Update initial assessment. You will have “built and based” the current assessment on a prior assessment, so you will not have to enter information that has not changed; however, you must check every dynamic risk indicator and protective factor to determine whether the youth’s behavior or situation has changed, and update the items accordingly. There are also several new items, plus an entirely new risk domain, on the JCP 2006.1 that will need to be completed. Finally, the answer to question 1.4 (self-identified race/ethnicity) will not be carried over from the JCP Version 2.0 or the JCP Reassessment V1.0.
G. Complete the risk reassessment portion of JCP Risk Assessment 2006.1 (Sections 14.0
through 22.0). These items will add or subtract points from the initial risk assessment score.
H. Check the “Completed” box at the top right of the screen – JJIS verifies that all mandatory questions have been answered and inserts the current date as the Locked Date. Only locked assessments will be included in statistical reports.
4. JCP Program Evaluation Reassessment: The evaluation of JCP programs requires a reassessment at four or six months, depending on agency policy. This JCP Program Evaluation Assessment requires an update of a prior assessment (see steps below) as well as answers to some additional questions about program participation.
Summary of steps
for completing a JCP Program Evaluation Reassessment:
A. Search for youth or work from your caseload.
B. Bring up available assessments. Select “JCP Risk Assessment – 2006.1.”
C. Select “Build and Base On” (see JJIS User Guide Instructions for “Build and Base
Assessment on a Previous Assessment”).
D. Check
“JCP Program Evaluation Reassessment” under item 1.5.
E. Complete the JCP Program Evaluation Reassessment portion of the JCP Risk
Assessment 2006.1 (items 1.7 through 1.17).
F. Update initial assessment and complete new items. You will have “built and based” the current assessment on a prior assessment, so you will not have to enter information that has not changed; however, you must check every dynamic risk indicator and protective factor to determine whether the youth’s behavior or situation has changed, and update the items accordingly. There are also several new questions, plus an entirely new risk domain, on the JCP 2006.1 that will need to be completed. Finally, the answer to question 1.4 (self-identified race/ethnicity) will not be carried over from the JCP Version 2.0 or the JCP Reassessment V1.0.
G. Check the “Completed” box at the top right of the screen – JJIS verifies that all mandatory
questions have been answered and inserts the current date as the Locked Date. Only locked
assessments will be included in statistical reports.
RISK GRAPHS
SHOWING JCP ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Three graphs of assessment results have been added to the JCP Risk Assessment 2006.1. Graphs can be printed by highlighting the desired assessment from the window showing the list of assessments available for printing.
1. Worker: the first graph is designed for the “worker”. It includes the youth’s total risk domains, risk indicators, protective factors and mental health indicators, and then the number of indicators within each domain. A data chart at the bottom of the chart repeats the information that is in the graph.
2. Client: the second graph is designed for sharing with the youth and his/her family. It is simpler, and graphs only the risk domains. The total risk domains and total risk indicators are not graphed.
3. Change: The third graph provides a comparison between the current assessment, and a prior assessment. This graph is designed for sharing with the youth/family to illustrate change over time. Since static indicators are unlikely to change over time, this chart compares only the number of dynamic indicators which represent the behaviors that can be targeted for change through the use of sanctions, skill building, and treatment.
Choosing an earlier assessment for comparison: Usually the linked assessment will be the assessment immediately prior to the current assessment; however, if you want to compare the current assessment with another assessment (e.g. the youth’s first assessment), you can simply designate that assessment as your “linked” assessment.
MAPPING TO CASE PLAN DOMAINS
Each section of the JCP Risk Assessment 2006.1 is linked to a case plan domain (listed under each section heading in instructions for sections and questions, or see “Mapping to Case Plan Domains at www.ojdda.org/Risk). For additional information on using the case plan feature in JJIS, contact the Oregon Youth Authority, JJIS Division.