Screening Offenders: The Exploration of a Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) Brief Screener

Abstract

Although structured assessments have helped standardize juvenile court processes by systematically measuring risk for recidivism, it has been argued that some assessments lack the ability to perform as a brief screener. This study explored the potential for the original 42-item Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) risk assessment to perform as a brief screener for a sample of first-time juvenile offenders in a Midwestern, industrialized county. Results indicated that the original and shortened version of the YLS/CMI significantly predicted 2-year recidivism for male and female offenders. Implications for situationally targeted forms of risk assessment are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• intake
• risk assessment
• screener
• short form
• Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory

Notes

Note. The variable “Unemployment/not looking for work” was omitted from the measure. This item was not relevant for a juvenile sample and had zero variation.

*p < .05.

*p < .05.

*p < .05.