Our Research and Training team are currently taking forward the following work:
Risk Matrix 2000
The Minister for Justice, in light of a recommendation from Professor George Irving’s “Registering the Risk” report, asked the RMA to undertake a project to validate RM2000 (a risk assessment screening tool for sex offenders over the age of 18) for use in Scotland.. The project was awarded to Professor Don Grubin of Newcastle University. The final report is available by clicking the "completed projects" link to the left.
Review of RATED
The Research and Training team has reviewed Version 1 of the Risk Assessment Tools Evaluation Directory (RATED). To view Version 2 click here. Version 3 of RATED is currently being researched. The results will be added to the website by the end of 2008.
Framework for Assessing Violence Risk
This project aims to contribute to the development of a risk assessment framework for violent offenders that corresponds with that available for sex offenders. The contract was awarded jointly to a team led by Professor David Farrington of Cambridge University who carried out a meta-analytical study of the use of assessment tools, and to a team led by Dr Monica Barry of Strathclyde University who examined current practice and practitioner need. Their final reports and an RMA covering paper can now be accessed from our Home page in the Whats New section.
Assessing and Managing Risk CD Rom
This is the development of the “Assessing and Managing Risk” CD Rom for practitioners. The CD Rom provides guidance for the risk assessment and risk management of offenders and is intended as a staff development tool for statutory agencies and provides access to a broad range of resources related to offender management. The RMA commissioned Professor Hazel Kemshall of De Montfort University to develop the CD Rom which is now in the final version of its present format. The RMA is currently running one-day awareness events across the Community Justice Authority / MAPPA areas, with a further development being the delivery of a 'train the trainers' event on 7 October 2008 (with the possibility of another event later this year).
LSCMI
The RMA has been working with the Scottish Executive, Scottish Prison Service and Association of Directors of Social Work to introduce the Level of Service Case Management Inventory (LSCMI) Scotland. The LSCMI is a comprehensive risk assessment and case management system that will become the core instrument in the prison service and in criminal justice social work services. The project for this development was awarded to Multi-Health Systems (MHS), Toronto. “Train the Trainer” training sessions have already taken place and the Scottish Executive will take the lead in organising delivery of LSCMI training.
Risk Management Planning and Practice
The primary objective of this training programme will be the development of knowledge and skills relating to the components of effective risk management of the most serious violent and sexual offenders. A secondary objective will be the development of collaborative practice central to the approach through inter-agency communication, knowledge, experience and skills exchange during the training event.
This course will complement other current RMA training initiatives in relation to risk assessment and risk management. It should target those professionals who are most likely to be managing cases whose seriousness of offending places them within MAPPA levels 2 and 3. As such, it is not an introduction to, but will be a thorough exploration of the components of risk management practice with knowledge dissemination derived from the most current research.
The training resource is being developed by a team from Coventry University who will work in conjunction with a steering group of advisers and stakeholders.