Asset Training: Rationale, Design and Use Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ)
Aims of f the day • To introduce practitioners to the ASSET Risk of Re- offending assessment tool. • To outline the history of ASSET ’s use and development in Scotland. • To examine some of the theory which underpins risk, risk assessment and the ASSET tool. • To enable practitioners to develop skills in the use of ASSET in a robust and defensible fashion in their work with young people involved in offending behaviour.
Why bother? “ The way in which Asset is presented to practitioners has a significant impact on the way in which it is used. Where practitioners are confused or misinformed about its purpose they tend to be suspicious of its relevance ” (Roberts et. al, 2001)
ASSET His istory ry I • Commissioned by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) for England and Wales in 1998. • Devised and piloted by University of Oxford in 1999. • Used by all Youth Offending Teams in England & Wales from April 2000.
ASSET History ry II II • Agreement reached between the Youth Justice Board (YJB) for England and Wales and the former Criminal Justice Social Work Development Centre (CJSWDC). • Asset Users’ Group formed and the Scottish version of ASSET was developed by the group and introduced in 2001. • The Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ) is now the license holder. • Training of trainers previously delivered by Dr. Kerry Baker (University of Oxford), one of the original developers of the ASSET tool.
ASSET design: key is issues • ASSET was designed as a practical tool for use in working with young people who offend. • Youth justice practitioners have been consulted and involved throughout the design and development process. • ASSET is based on theory and research evidence (Baker et. al , 2002; YJB, 2003). • It can be used for research and management purposes but this is not its primary focus.
Design Objectives • Appropriate for young people involved in offending behaviour aged 10-17. • For use at different stages in YJ system. • Provide a “score” to forecast reconviction. • Identify key offending related factors. • Measure change in a young person over time. • Assess risk of serious harm to self and others. • Highlight issues for further assessment. • Take account of positive factors. • Incorporate young people’s views into the assessment process.
Design Process • Review of research literature. • Advisory Panel. • Piloting. • Revisions and completions of guidance notes.
Rationale for ASS SSET : : In Individual Practice • Comprehensive coverage of risk factors. • Quality of assessments. • Tracking change over time. • ‘Defensible decisions’.
Rationale for Asset : : Aggregate Benefits • Greater consistency. • Openness and accountability. • Resource allocation. • Develop evidence base.
ASSET + • Work is currently underway to introduce an updated ASSET risk assessment tool named ASSET + • Underpinned by principles of Structured Professional Judgement (SPJ). • Seeks to incorporate some of the new developments in the risk literature over the last 15 years.
RATED • RATED is the Risk Assessment Tools Evaluation Directory (RATED), a resource produced by the Risk Management Authority (RMA, 2013a). • Browse RATED online to review the different risk assessment tools available and used in Scotland and elsewhere. • ASSET is identified in RATED as a validated tool for assessing risk of re-offending in young people.
Where CARM fi fits www.cycj.org.uk developing, supporting & understanding youth justice
Bala lancing Ris isks and Needs: The assessor’s challenge Public Protection “Best Interests” Proportionality
ASSET and SHANARRI Wellbeing Indicators ASSET Core Profile Safe Living arrangements Healthy Substance use Physical Health Emotional Mental Health Achieving Education, training and employment Nurtured Family and personal relationships Neighbourhood Active Education, training and employment Lifestyle
ASSET and SHANARRI Wellbeing Indicators ASSET Core Profile Responsible Thinking and behaviour Attitudes to offending Motivation to change Respected Perception of self and others Included Lifestyle
Theoretical Perspectives • Life course or developmental perspectives • Interactional theory • “Criminal career”
The criminal career Persistence An active focus for intervention Onset Desistance Understanding Tackling Social the Origins Inclusion
What is risk? ‘ Risk is the potential for an adverse event to lead to a negative outcome, and by assessing risk we seek to estimate how likely the event is to occur and the nature and seriousness of its impact. In this context the ‘adverse event’ is offending behaviour and the negative outcome is the degree and nature of harm that it causes. ’ (RMA, 2011)
What is risk assessment? • Assessments of children and young people need to recognise that offending behaviour is a response to unmet need and should take place within the context of a detailed assessment of social, developmental and psychological needs as set out in the GIRFEC approach and Child and Adult Protection contexts (SG, 2014a: 6 & 7). • Risk assessment in the youth justice context is a process that encompasses three steps: • Identification – Identify the key risk and protective factors that are present in the case. • Analysis – Move beyond merely describing facts towards an understanding of a young person’s situation and the reasons for his/her behaviour. • Evaluation – Inform decision-making and planning in a tangible and measurable fashion.
Unstructured Clinical Judgement Actuarial (Prediction) Structured Clinical Judgement
Process of f Assessment and Pla lanning Asses ssessment Pl Planning Acti ction Review Clo Closure
Research literature • Individual factors • Psychosocial factors • Population wide factors • Resilience/protective factors
Scepticism about value of f Asset • We cover all these issues anyway – so what’s the point of doing an ASSET ? • Workload – we haven’t got the time to do ASSET properly? • It’s unhelpful because it labels young people e.g. “high risk”. • Young people have complex lives – this can’t be reduced to a number.
Contributing Risk Factors • What are the key factors which contribute to offending behaviour by children and young people? • Emphasis on CONTRIBUTE as opposed to CAUSE • What about protective factors?
Offending & Care History Living Arrange- Motivation ments Family & Attitudes to personal offending Education Persistent Thinking Employ- Offending Behaviour ment Behaviour Perception Neigh- self / bourhood others Emotional Lifestyle /Mental Substance Health Physical Use health
Stage 1- Obtaining Offending & Recording information Career Living Arrange- Motivation ments Family & Attitudes to personal offending Persistent Education Thinking Offending Employ- Behaviour behaviour ment Perception Neigh- self / bourhood others Emotional Lifestyle /Mental Substance Health Physical Use health
Im Important factors to remember Family and Personal • Bereavement and Loss Substance Use • New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) Physical Health • Speech, Language and Communication Needs Emotional and Mental Health • Trauma • Attachment
Stage 2 – Analysing Offending the information Career Living Arrange- Motivation ments Family & Attitudes to personal Evidence offending of link to Persistent Education offending Thinking Offending Employ- Behaviour behaviour ment Perception Neigh- Linked areas self / bourhood others of need Emotional Lifestyle /Mental Substance Health Physical Use health
Statistical data Stage 3 – Planning Indicators of level of risk Offending Career P Living Arrange- Motivation T R ments I A Family & Attitudes to personal Evidence offending O R of link to Persistent Education R offending Thinking Offending Employ- G Behaviour behaviour ment I E T Perception Neigh- Linked areas self / bourhood T I others of need Emotional E Lifestyle s /Mental Substance S Health Physical Use health
Appropriate use of f ASSET • Asset needs to be used carefully with good inter personal skills as relationships with young people and their carers can be damaged if Asset is used as a pro-forma. • Asset should not be used as an interview schedule.
ASSET – The tool • Takes into account static (unchangeable) factors and dynamic factors which help identify targets for intervention. • Includes offending related and welfare factors. • Identifies problems and positive factors. • Combines numeric element with emphasis on evidence for decisions. • Is a tool to use NOT a substitute for professional judgement.
Kemshall’s caution • There are potential dangers to workers “inferring greater certainty about reoffending calculations than actually exists” but also the opposite situation in which they respond “to uncertainty of prediction by becoming more cautious” (Kemshall, 1996).
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