Using Plan-Do-Study-Act and Participatory Action Research to Improve Use of Risk Needs Assessments

Abstract

ABSTRACTMany community supervision agencies use a risk/need assessment tool (RNA) to assess client risk level, inform case planning decisions, and allocate supervision resources. Research suggests agencies do not always implement RNA tools as intended, without offering practitioners solutions for improving these implementation concerns. Using a participatory action research framework, this case study highlights one probation office's efforts to improve their RNA fidelity concerns by using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA), a data driven problem-solving strategy. Findings show increases in officer knowledge and comfort using the RNA, while revealing gaps in training, dissemination, and the underlying premise for the tool in practice. Results offer guidance for researchers and practitioners in developing collaborative and problem-solving research agendas to enhance the fidelity of evidence-based practices.