The frequency and classification of the needs of offenders in community settings

Concern for the specific needs of offenders, or concern for “behavioral objectives” in community supervision practices, has increased considerably in the last twenty years. This article examines the development of needs-focused supervision technology in three different ways. An analysis of trends in correctional literature from 1964–1983 is conducted to see whether there have been changes in the types, frequencies, or variety of needs reportedly met by community corrections programs. Second, data on needs from ten separate needs-assessment studies are aggregated to compare need incidence across different setting and different offender populations. Finally, a factor analysis is performed on one set of needs data to determine whether the conceptual dimensions used to classify needs can be empirically validated.