The purpose of risk intervention services is to increase public safety by providing services which reduce the risk of an offender committing a new crime. Research demonstrates that services which adhere to risk, need and responsivity (RNR) principles have the greatest impact on reducing recidivism. The effects of services are most profound when applied to supervised and/or incarcerated individuals who have the higher risk of recidivism and focus upon the dynamic risk factors which are correlated with the risk of recidivism, are responsive to the capacities of the offender and use evidence-based modalities with fidelity.

Risk Intervention Services Division provides services in three main units: Behavioral Health, Education and Vocational Services. The data in this section are the programming component. Corrections Education and Vocational Services are captured in subsequent sections. Criteria for mandated facility RIS programming is that offenders must have listed violent offense, be assessed moderate to high risk on a risk assessment and have adequate sentence structure to complete services. Services are comprised of evidenced based manualized curricula addressing multiple criminogenic needs and are delivered in group modality. Each curriculum is delivered in two weekly sessions in twelve-week quarters. Participants participate in two to three curricula per week for a minimum of six months.

The Behavioral and Skill Unit comprises clinicians, trained Interventionists, and educators at four correctional facilities in Vermont. This fiscal year, it hired contractors, trained contractors, and delivered services. 

Contractor Interventions: At each site, clinicians are either Master’s level, state-licensed, or trained to deliver Cognitive behavioral Therapeutic Interventions. While an individual is in Behavioral Health programming, the contractors assess each participant during their interventions to identify high-risk areas to integrate into their treatment plan. A goal for the fiscal year 2024 and the Behavioral Health unit is to identify evidence-based screening tools to help isolate and individualize one’s RNR need areas.

Transitional Services: Each Behavioral Health participant creates a personalized Success Plan completed while in Behavioral Health groups. A Success Plan aims to highlight the individual strengths that will help them succeed in the community while addressing any challenges they foresee and how they will address them. The Behavioral Health team offers community providers recommendations on areas the individual may benefit from addressing when they return to the community