RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Five-County Validation of the Indiana Risk Assessment System – Pretrial Assessment Tool (IRAS-PAT) using a Local Validation Approach
Lowder, E., Lawson, S., Grommon, E., & Ray, B. (2020). Five-County Validation of the Indiana Risk Assessment System – Pretrial Assessment Tool (IRAS-PAT) using a Local Validation Approach. Justice Quarterly, 37(7), 1241-1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2020.1829006
Local jurisdictions are increasingly using pretrial risk assessment instruments to assess risk of pretrial misconduct and inform release decisions. We adopted a local validation approach to examine the predictive validity of Indiana Risk Assessment System – Pretrial Assessment Tool (IRAS-PAT) assessments in 3,739 unique pretrial defendants across five Indiana counties. Jail, court, and pretrial risk assessment records were matched within each jurisdiction to examine pretrial misconduct outcomes (i.e., any arrest, any new arrest, and any failure to appear) during the case processing period. Area Under the Curve (AUC) estimates showed good-to-excellent levels of predictive accuracy for total scores for all outcomes (AUC Range: 0.67-0.72). Multivariable models showed defendants assessed at High (OR Range: 5.42-8.62) and Moderate (OR Range: 2.56-3.08) risk had higher rates of pretrial misconduct relative to those assessed at Low risk. Findings provide strong evidence for the predictive accuracy of IRAS-PAT assessments overall, though some item-level considerations are noted.