The establishment of the Probation Assessment Unit was part of a larger initiative of implementing evidence-based practices for community control. The Summit County Adult Probation Department utilizes the validated Ohio Risk Assessment System Instrument. This instrument is administered in order to identify the risks and needs of the probationer when he/she is placed on Community Control. The instrument serves as the foundation for the case plan, which will appropriately target resources. “Research has demonstrated that evidence-based interventions directed towards offenders with a moderate to high risk of committing new crimes, will result in better outcomes for both offenders and the community.”1
1 Putting Public Safety First: 13 Strategies for Successful Supervision and Reentry. PEW Center. No. 7 December 2008.