ARETGroup

CAPTION: AI-POWERED INSIGHTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

Justice-involved individuals should receive the appropriate level of care, provided in the least restrictive way possible, facing mental or other behavioral health crises. Prompt identification of risks and needs, such as access to public documents, housing security, family and social support challenges, and peer associations, can be critical to ensuring the appropriate level of care is provided. Here, we explore ways AI can assist in the facilitation of risk and needs-based assessment in the field to promote positive outcomes.

Some Background on the Issue

Research has consistently shown that comprehensive risks and needs assessment improves the quality of individualized case planning, wrap-around care, and access to medical and behavioral health care needed. For example, prompt referral and follow-up in case planning are critical to ensuring continuity of care and addressing both criminogenic and behavioral health needs effectively. Early risk and needs assessments have also demonstrated potential to directly improve engagement in treatment programs (by up to 40%) and increase compliance with supervision conditions. These interventions are strongly associated with improved pre-trials and reentry outcomes for justice-involved populations. For example, when combining case planning with wrap-around services, particularly to ensure continuity of care from pre- to post-release, evidence indicates a 20-30% reduction in recidivism among certain populations. These results are even more significant when behavioral health treatment is integrated into the intervention.