Evaluation of risk assessment and intervention practice in security management (SIMA) II
Project date range: 12.2018 – 11.2020
Description
On account of the Hessian Ministry of Justice, this project investigates the practice of intervention and risk assessment provided by SIMA II, a newly introduced specialist division of probation in Hessia. SIMA II has been implemented on February 1, 2017 with the purpose of managing violent offenders considered at high risk of re-offending as well as offenders on supervised release with negative social prognosis.
The project consists of three parts, which address different questions:
1) For each individual client of SIMA II, an initial risk assessment is completed as a basis for determining the intensity and frequency of further supervision. Two prognostic instruments currently inform this assessment. The first part of the research project investigates the accuracy and prognostic value of these risk evaluations.
2) The second part of the project deals with the efficacy of supervision by SIMA II, judging from criminal recidivism of supervisees. To this end, recidivism data of SIMA II supervisees will be compared to that of a control group of offenders who were supervised by Hessian probation before the introduction of SIMA II.
3) The third and last part of the project consists in a qualitative survey of probation personnel serving as supervisors in the SIMA II division. The results are expected to reveal the current state of SIMA II's implementation and potential for quality assurance from the perspective of the practitioners.