In Saskatchewan, structured, actuarial risk assessments are used as part of a comprehensive model of assessment.  Two types of risk assessments, primary and secondary, are used in Adult Corrections.  Primary risk assessments are used to determine the probability of an offender committing any type of criminal offence in the future (referred to as generalized re-offending) while secondary risk assessments provide a likelihood of an offender committing a specific type of offence in the future (i.e., the ODARA* for likelihood of future spousal abuse and STATIC-99R/STABLE-2007/ACUTE** for likelihood of future sexual offending).   

Within the framework of the Risk, Need and Responsivity and Professional Discretion Principles, risk assessment results are used to guide decisions about prioritization of services as well as the type and intensity of services required to manage and reduce an offender's risk in order to promote public safety. 

Primary risk assessments are completed for offenders sentenced to probation, conditional sentence or incarceration and for those whom a court report has been ordered. Saskatchewan Adult Corrections uses both the Primary Risk Assessment (PRA) and the Saskatchewan Primary Risk Assessment (SPRA) to inform likelihood of future generalized offending. 

Primary Risk Assessments (PRA)
The PRA is a 15 item assessment comprised of both static and dynamic risk factors.  The results of this assessment provide a risk-level used to inform decisions about intensity level of service delivery and supervision as well as crucial information used to inform decisions about programming to reduce likelihood of recidivism. 

Saskatchewan Primary Risk Assessment (SPRA) 
In 2007, a revised edition of the PRA, the Saskatchewan Primary Risk Assessment (SPRA), was introduced.  The SPRA maintains the same structure as the PRA (i.e., fifteen items comprised of both static and dynamic risk factors) as well as introducing more clearly articulated scoring rules for individual items, enhanced training and certification standards for use.  Only certified users are able to administer the SPRA. 

Research has demonstrated the PRA and SPRA are effective in predicting the following outcomes with Saskatchewan:

• failure in a community supervision order (e.g. probation,);
• conviction of a new offence; or
• re-incarceration.

Secondary Risk Assessments are completed as required by the offender's needs and offense pattern.  

These more specific assessments focus on the offender's risk of committing another  spousal abuse offence or sexual-related offence.

* Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) 
The ODARA is a validated assessment "that evaluates the likelihood that a man will assault his partner again, and how this risk compares with that of other wife assaults."  Only certified users are able to administer the ODARA. 

**STATIC-99R 
The Static-99R is a validated actuarial instrument designed to estimate the probability of sexual and violent recidivism among adult males who have already been convicted of at least one sexual offence against a child or non-consenting adult.  It is not recommended for adolescents (under 18 years at time of release), female offenders or offenders who have been convicted of prostitution, pimping, having sex in public locations with consenting adults or possession of indecent materials.  Only certified users are able to administer STATIC-99R.

**STABLE-2007 
The STABLE-2007 was developed to assess change in intermediate-term risk status, assess treatment needs and help predict recidivism in sexual offenders.  The assessment consists of 13 items and produces estimates of stable dynamic risk based upon the number of stable dynamic risk factors for any one individual.  In Saskatchewan, results of the STABLE-2007 are combined with STATIC-99R results in order to provide an overall picture of the likelihood of future sexual recidivism.  The results of the STABLE-2007 provide important programming targets for case management.  Only certified users are able to administer STABLE-2007.

**ACUTE-2007 
The ACUTE-2007 was developed to assess changes in short-term risk status and help predict recidivism in sexual offenders.  The ACUTE-2007 consists of seven items and produces and estimate of risk for sexual and violent recidivism and a second risk estimate for general recidivism.  The ACUTE-2007 is used in community reporting settings in order to inform decisions about supervision intensity and prioritization of interventions.  Only certified users are able to administer ACUTE-2007.

The secondary assessments have been validated.  They include risk factors that indicate an increased risk to re-offend, specifically in terms of sex offences or spousal abuse.  

Risk assessments provide information from an objective, evidence-based perspective that can be used to identify the correctional services needed by an offender.  Results of both primary and secondary assessments inform these decisions (e.g., should services deal with the offender's assault risk, general risk or both).  For example, an offender could be generally low risk to re-offend while being high risk to commit a sexual offence or spousal assault.  In this case, the main focus should be towards addressing the issues that lead to the offender's assaultive behaviour.

This is a 10-session, general aggression control program and not specific to domestic violence educational program during which participants are introduced to a cognitive - behavioural approach to emotional control.  Participants are encouraged to identifying their own patterns (thought - feeling - behaviour) and develop alternate thinking and behavioural responses.  Participants are expected to do personal assignments.

Goals/Objectives

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Identify the precursors to violent behaviour;
• Identify the impact of violent behaviour on themselves and others;
• Recognize thinking patterns that lead to violent behaviour and reframe them into thinking patterns that lead to non-violent, self-managed behaviour;
• Identify how stress and tension can lead to violent behaviour;
• Identify risk factors, triggers and high-risk situations; and
• Design and use a variety of self-management plans.

Eligibility Criteria

Indications of problems managing anger and aggression but whose offence patterns are not domestic violence.

Length of program: 10 sessions, 2.5 hours each