The Functions of Classification and Assessment Models in Correctional Treatment

Classification systems have been used in the field of corrections in the United States for purposes of control and punishment for many years. In the penitentiaries, inmates were separated on the basis of the level of security needed to control them. During the Reformatory Era, inmates were placed into different categories on the basis of security needed and progress made toward being rehabilitated. For example, in Elmira Reformatory for young offenders, inmates moved from the lowest level to the prerelease level. More privileges were given with each level. In the 1960s and 1970s, classification models were developed and used to separate inmates for security and treatment needs, and several classification systems were also developed for supervising probationers and parolees. In the latter part of the twentieth century and up to the present time, the emphasis is on using evidence-based instruments to assess offenders’ potential for recidivism as well as to assess what types of treatment would be likely to assist the offender to make the desired changes in behavior and lifestyle.