Research

UCCI conducts and supports research to inform policy and practice in corrections in order to assist agencies in their efforts to implement evidence-based practices.  Through partnerships with a wide variety of agencies, we seek to build knowledge to equip professionals with the information they need to be successful agents of change and enhance rehabilitative services for offenders.

The University of Cincinnati has conducted numerous reliability and validity studies to evaluate the efficacy of agencies respective risk/needs assessment instruments. These projects: (a) assess the inter-rater agreement of the tool(s); (b) evaluate the internal reliability of the tool(s) and determine whether individual items in the assessment(s) are theoretically relevant and connected with the measurement of criminogenic risk and needs factors; (c) measure the predictive validity of the tool(s) and if necessary, make recommendations for changes in cut-off scores and possible elimination of items and/or changes to item weighting; and (d) when appropriate, examine the validity and reliability of the tool(s) for different subgroups (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, specialized populations). Upon the completion of the study, a written report of the findings, along with written guidance on implementing any recommended changes to the instrument(s), scoring guide(s), and use of the tool(s), is provided to the agency. A presentation of the findings (in-person or via video conference) can also be provided.

For more information on the value risk validation brings to your agency and the field of corrections, please visit this resource from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance.

• An Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) funded national evaluation of juvenile drug courts.
  
• An OJJDP funded evaluation of juvenile mentoring services.
  
• An OJJDP funded study on the risk assessment implementation.
  

• Creating the Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC).
  
• Creating the Ohio Youth Assessment System with the Ohio Department of Youth Services (ODYS).
  
• Creating the Women's Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
  
• Evaluation of Ohio's Prison Programs with ODRC.
• Evaluation of Ohio's Community Corrections Act (CCA) with ODRC.
• Evaluation of RECLAIM Juvenile Diversion Programs with ODYS.

View some of our research reports!