By: Chris Kamin, equivant Supervision
At equivant Supervision and Pretrial, agencies and practitioners often ask us about the differences and similarities between the standard COMPAS Core and the COMPAS-R Core. In addition to creating this document detailing the differences, we created a three-part blog series to answer the most commonly-asked questions regarding these two instruments:
- Why was COMPAS-R Core created and how does it differ from the standard COMPAS Core?
- How do the scales in the COMPAS-R Core differ from those in the standard COMPAS Core?
- What new configuration options are available in the COMPAS-R Core?
The questions and answers presented in this series primarily cover differences between the two instruments. Both the standard COMPAS Core and COMPAS-R Core are designed to assess post-conviction risk and needs of persons recently removed from the community or currently in the community.
First, some background. It is important to note that the COMPAS-R Core is based on the standard COMPAS Core, which was developed empirically with a focus on predictors known to affect recidivism. Like the standard COMPAS Core, it includes dynamic risk factors and assesses persons on a variety of well-validated risk and need factors designed to aid in correctional intervention to decrease the likelihood of reoffending.
HOW DO THE SCALES IN THE COMPAS-R CORE DIFFER FROM THOSE IN THE STANDARD COMPAS CORE?
The scales are grouped by “Domain” in the software. The domains describe a classification of the scales that facilitate understanding of their design and purpose. For example, all the scales in the Criminal Involvement Domain are primarily concerned with measuring a person’s criminal history and rely on the person’s official records information. The scales are presented by domain in this section.
Domain: Criminal Involvement
Current Charges Table
The Current Charges Table of the COMPAS-R Core contains the same charges that are listed in the identically named table of the standard COMPAS Core. Differences are in table organization and configuration options.
The charge options in the table for the COMPAS-R Core are organized into three separate columns for the offense categories Violent, Drug-Related, and Non-Violent, and alphabetically within their respective categories. This contrasts with the arrangement in the standard COMPAS, where they are not organized, either by category or alphabetically.
New configuration options in the COMPAS-R Core include the ability to edit the table name and instructions to reflect the agency’s preferred language around “charges.” Also included is the ability to provide more detail to the charge of “Other” through configuration of the associated drop-down menu with agency-provided custom descriptions.
Legal System Involvement Scale
This scale is based on the Criminal Involvement Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. As in the standard COMPAS, results from this scale inform the recidivism risk score.
The standard COMPAS Core question that asks for the number of previous jail sentences (greater than 30 days) has been changed to inquire whether the person has ever been sentenced to jail for more than 30 days.
The current version of the scale within the COMPAS-R Core includes a test question that asks about previous arrests for marijuana possession. Data collected from this question will be used to analyze whether it makes sense to remove previous marijuana offenses from the risk assessment. Responses to this test question do not inform the scale score nor the recidivism risk score.
History of Non-Compliance Scale
The History of Non-Compliance Scale of the COMPAS-R Core is practically identical to the History of Non-Compliance Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The only difference is that the COMPAS-R Core version contains a reduced number of response choices to two questions related to non-compliance while on probation.
History of Violence Scale
The History of Violence Scale of the COMPAS-R Core is a shorter version of the History of Violence Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The reduction in the number of items was accomplished through grouping separate questions that ask about several offense types (in the standard COMPAS Core) into single questions. Additionally, the question about the number of prior juvenile violent felony arrests was removed.
Domain: Relationships/Lifestyle
Associates and Peers Scale
This scale is based on the Criminal Associates and Peers Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. Two of the seven questions from the standard COMPAS Core version of this scale have been removed, leaving a shorter scale with only five questions. Additionally, the use of the word “acquaintance” in the original scale has been removed due to its vagueness.
Substance Use Scale
This scale is based on the Substance Abuse Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. This scale was shortened from ten items in the standard COMPAS Core to six by grouping questions that asked about alcohol and drugs separately into single questions that provide separate alcohol and drug response choices. Two items were removed.
An additional item that asks about opioid involvement at the time of offense or arrest was added.
Society and Routines Scale
This scale is based on the Criminal Opportunity Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. One item was removed from the Criminal Opportunity Scale in developing the Society and Routines Scale. Two questions have a reduced number of responses.
Leisure and Recreation Scale
This scale is based on the identically named scale of the standard COMPAS Core. One item was removed from the standard COMPAS Core version of this scale in developing the Leisure and Recreation Scale. All the remaining questions have a reduced number of responses.
Domain: Personality/Attitudes
Thinking and Attitudes Scale
This scale is based on the Criminal Thinking Self Report Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. One item was removed from the Criminal Thinking Self Report Scale in developing the Thinking and Attitudes Scale. All remaining questions have had the response option of Unsure/Neutral removed.
Personality Traits Scale
This scale is based on the Criminal Personality Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. Three items were removed from the Criminal Personality Scale in developing the Personality Traits Scale. All remaining questions have had the response option of Unsure/Neutral removed.
Anger Scale
The Anger Scale of the COMPAS-R Core is identical to the Anger Scale of the standard COMPAS Core, with the exception that the response option of Unsure/Neutral has been removed from all questions. The Anger Scale items are a subset of the items in the Personality Traits Scale.
Cognitive Behavioral Scale
The Cognitive Behavioral Scale of the COMPAS-R Core is similar to the Cognitive Behavioral Scale of the standard COMPAS Core in that both use the results of four scales to generate their results. In the COMPAS-R Core, these scales are (a) Associates and Peers (b) Society and Routines (c) Thinking and Attitudes and (d) Socialization History. (In the standard COMPAS Core, the scales are named (a) Criminal Associates and Peers, (b) Criminal Opportunity, (c) Criminal Thinking, and (d) Socialization Failure.) The reader can reference the different scale sections in this document to see how those particular COMPAS-R Core scales differ from those of the standard COMPAS.
Domain: Family
Socialization History Scale
This scale is based on the Socialization Failure Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. Two of the thirteen questions from the standard COMPAS Core version of this scale have been removed. Two of the questions have been grouped into a single question. These changes result in a shorter scale with only ten questions.
There are wording changes to several questions as well. In particular, the question that asks about high school or GED completion has been broadened to include the current efforts of younger people who may not have completed their secondary education yet.
Domain: Social Exclusion
Financial Scale
This scale is based on the Financial Problems Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. This scale was shortened from five items in the standard COMPAS Core to four by removing one item. The remaining items and responses are identical to those in the Financial Problems Scale.
Vocational/Educational Scale
This scale is based on the Vocational/Education Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. Three items were removed from the Vocational/Education Scale in developing the Vocational/ Educational Scale, reducing the length from eleven questions to eight.
This scale shares a question with the Socialization History scale: the one that asks about high school or GED completion and has been broadened to include the current efforts of younger people who may not have completed their secondary education yet.
Residential Stability Scale
This scale is based on the Residential Instability Scale of the standard COMPAS Core. The name difference reflects the effort to incorporate more neutral language throughout the assessment and supporting documentation. Two items were removed from the Residential Instability Scale in developing this scale. Additionally, three items were grouped into a single item. These changes brought the number of scale items down from ten to six. One question has a reduced number of responses.
For more information about how the scales in the COMPAS-R Core differ from those in the standard COMPAS Core, please download the comprehensive FAQ document here.
The COMPAS-R Core is an evolution of the standard COMPAS Core. Their purpose is the same.
Click on the links below to explore more differences.
