A Computerized Screening System for Correctional Classification

• Author: Robert A. Baker,Stephen Kaiser,Gary Stewart,James R. Barclay,Robert Brown
• DOI: 10.1177/009385487900600305
• Published date: 01 September 1979
• Date: 01 September 1979
• Subject Matter: Articles

251

A

COMPUTERIZED

SCREENING

SYSTEM

FOR

CORRECTIONAL

CLASSIFICATION

ROBERT

A.

BAKER

GARY STEWART

STEPHEN

KAISER

ROBERT

BROWN

JAMES

R. BARCLAY

University

of

Kentucky

Authors’

Note:

This

investigation

was

financially

supported

by

the

Kentucky

Crime

Commission

and

the

Kentucky

Department

of Justice

Research

Grants

1612-037-175

and

2431-152-3j76

with funds

supplied

by

the

Law

Enforcement

Assistance

Administration

(LEAA),

Washing-

A

new

multi-method,

computerized

screening

system

for

classifying

and

assigning

all

felons

entering

Kentucky’s

correctional

institutions

was

developed

and

implemented.

This

system—consisting

of

psychological

tests,

self-report

inventories,

rating

scales,

and

detailed

observations—requires

approximately

two

hours

for

administration.

A

detailed,

case-history

summary

covering

nine

major

classification

categories

and

supplying

information

about

the

felon’s

background,

interests,

abilities,

strengths,

and

weaknesses

in

27

criminological,

demographical,

sociological,

and

psychological

areas

of

correctional

concern

is

provided.

This

new

system

appears

both

reliable

and

valid

and

should

prove

useful

both

for

initial

classification

and

assignment,

and

for

reclassification

and

parole

review.

continuing

problem

for

most

correctional

Assessment

and

Orientation

(A

&

0)

units

is

improving

the

accuracy

and

effi-

ciency

of

the

initial

classification

of

incoming

felons.

In

January

1975

we

were

asked

by

officials

of

the

Kentucky

Bureau

of

Cor-

252

rections

to

design

and

implement

an

improved

classification

sys-

tem

for

A

&

0

units

at

Kentucky’s

three

major

correctional

insti-

tutions :

Kentucky

State

Reformatory,

Kentucky

State

Prison,

and

the

Kentucky

Correctional

Institute

for

Women.

Because

of

limited

staff

and

housing

facilities

within

these

units,

supporting

staff

shortages,

as

well

as

the

steady

influx

of

new

commitments,

the

time

available

for

detailed

testing,

diagnosis

and

classification

of

each

inmate

is

minimal.

Nevertheless,

valid

and

reliable

information

about

each

new

inmate

is

necessary

if

in-

stitutional

security

is

to

be

maintained

and

proper

assignments

to

work

details,

dormitories,

training

and

rehabilitation

programs

and

so

on

are

to

be

made.

Because

of

these

limitations,

correctional

personnel

requested

that

a

&dquo;screening&dquo;

procedure,

rather

than

a

full,

highly

detailed

psychodiagnostic

system,

be

developed.

The

&dquo;screening&dquo;

specifi-

cally

requested

was

to

develop

valid

and

reliable

measures

that

would

determine

each

inmate’s

(1)

potential

for

aggressive

behavior;

(2)

depression

and

suicide

potential;

(3)

intellectual

status

(intelligence

and

school

achievement);

(4)

vocational

skills;

(5)

vocational

interests;

(6)

level

of

socialization

(i.e.,

extent

of

adoption

of

middle-class

views

and

values);

(7)

criminal

sophistication;

(8)

physical

health;

and

(9)

mental

health.

Because

of

the

large

number

of

inmates

to

be

classified

and

time

and

staff

personnel

shortages,

some

sort

of

system

permitting

the

rapid

gathering

and

processing

of

test

and

other

personnel

data

was

also

demanded.

ton,

D. C.

Reprints

of

this

article

may

be

obtained

by

writing

to

the

following

address:

Dr.

Robert

A.

Baker,

Department

of

Psychology,

University

of

Kentucky,

Lexington,

Kentucky

40506.