Assessment is an integral part of community supervision. Assessment results affect decisions about strategy, intervention, placement, advancement, needs, instruction, alignment, staffing, and funding. Once strong working alliances are established, assessment can provide insights into the effects of those alliances and highlight significant trends over time. Assessment creates a roadmap for the work ahead and helps organizations focus on the highest-impact strategies.

Assessment inspires staff at all levels of organizations to ask tough questions like “Are we doing what we say we are doing?”, “Are persons on supervision being served in the best way possible?”, and “Are staff receiving the support they need to succeed?” Answering these questions requires supervision officers to be competent in assessing risks and needs and assessing specific responsivity.