title: Improving Agreement About Intervention Plans in Probation by Decision Support.
abstract: Reliability in decision making about intervention plans is a necessary condition for evidence-based probation work and equal treatment of offenders. Structuring decision making can improve agreement between clinical decision makers. In a former study however, we found that in Dutch probation practice structured risk and needs assessment did not result in acceptable agreement about intervention plans. The Dutch probation services subsequently introduced a tool for support in decision making on intervention plans. This article addresses the question whether the use of this tool results in better agreement between probation officers. A significant and meaningful improvement in agreement was found on all domains of the intervention plan. Implications for probation practice are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands jacqueline.bosker@hu.nl.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bosker
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Witteman
authors.affiliation: University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hermanns
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Donnalee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heij
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D011329:Prisoners; D018570:Risk Assessment
keywords: inter-observer agreement; intervention plan; probation; risk and needs assessment; structured decision making