The Real-World Application of the Risk Principle: Is It Possible in the Field of Probation?

Although the concepts of the Risk, Needs, and Responsivity Model (Andrews and Bonta) seem simple, their practical implementation remains a challenge in agencies around the world. In this article the authors take one concept of this model, the Risk Principle, and examine how it is currently applied in the federal system. The authors then suggest how the Risk Principle could evolve into a more practical and deliberate decision point in the supervision of persons on court-ordered supervision with the introduction of a violence assessment.