Improving Case Plans and Interventions for Adolescents on Probation: The Implementation of the SAVRY and a Structured Case Planning Form

Abstract

Even when probation officers use risk assessment tools, many of their clients' needs remain unaddressed. As such, we examined whether the implementation of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) and a structured case planning form resulted in better case plans as compared to prior practices (i.e., a non-validated local tool and an unstructured plan). Our sample comprised 216 adolescents on probation who were matched via propensity scores. Adolescents in the SAVRY/Structured Plan condition had significantly better case plans than those in the pre-implementation condition. Specifically, following implementation, adolescents' high need domains were more likely to be targeted in plans. Plans also scored higher on other quality indicators (e.g., level of detail). These improvements appeared to be due primarily to the structured plan rather than the SAVRY. Overall, our findings highlight that, just as structure can improve risk assessments, so too might structure improve case plans.

Bridging Risk Assessments to Case Planning: Development and Evaluation of an Intervention-Planning Tool for Adolescents on Probation

“…More specifically, rather than comparing the ARROW to an entirely unstructured approach to case planning (i.e., a blank space in which to write in a case plan), we compared the ARROW to a short case planning form. In a previous study, we found that this case planning form resulted in significantly better case plans than an entirely unstructured approach (Viljoen et al, 2019). Thus, our goal was to determine if the ARROW could lead to improvements in plans above and beyond an approach that had already achieved some degree of success.…”

“…To measure the quality of formulations and case plans, we used the ACERR (Viljoen et al, 2019). This tool was developed through a review of recommended practices (e.g., Bonta & Andrews, 2017), expert feedback, and pilot testing.…”

“…Decision support systems have been found to improve decision making in a variety of health care settings (Hunt, Haynes, Hanna, & Smith, 1998; Moja et al, 2014). In addition, several studies have found that such protocols improve probation officers’ case plans (Bosker & Witteman, 2016; Bosker, Witteman, Hermanns, & Heij, 2015; Viljoen et al, 2019). For instance, Bosker and Witteman (2016) compared the quality of plans that were developed with a risk assessment tool alone versus a tool plus a decision support system.…”

“…Even when risk assessment instruments are used, many of adolescents' needs still go unaddressed and untreated (Nelson & Vincent, 2018;Peterson-Badali, Skilling, & Haqanee, 2015;Viljoen, Cochrane, & Jonnson, 2018). Thus, in a prior study, we examined whether the adoption of a simple case planning form, alongside the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY; Borum, Bartel, & Forth, 2006), resulted in better case plans as compared to standard practices (i.e., an unstructured case plan and a non-validated tool; Viljoen, Shaffer, Muir, Cochrane, & Brodersen, 2019). The results of that study indicated that when YPOs used the case planning form, their plans were more likely to include interventions to address adolescents' needs.…”

Introduction to this Special Issue on implementing evidence‐based practices in forensic settings

“…Researchers should consider going beyond merely training organization staff about how to complete an assessment instrument or carry out a particular treatment modality and instead help to design and support the implementation effort. Examples of researcher‐guided implementation studies in forensic and justice settings are growing but are still uncommon (see, e.g., Knight et al., 2016; Viljoen, Shaffer, Muir, Cochrane, & Brodersen, 2019, Vincent, Guy, Perrault, & Gershenson, 2016).…”