Identifying the Goal

To successfully achieve a goal, an offender must look ahead and identify the goal. This means specifying an end result, for many offenders this goal will be to successfully complete supervision or to stop using drugs. The first step is for the offender to clearly set a target for which to aim. Another reason to set a goal is to minimize any misunderstanding between staff and offender about the goal of supervision.

Assessing Current Circumstances

Taking stock of what is currently happening in someone's life can be done with many different tools. Using an objective assessment tool to collect information on the offender and assess risk and needs provides staff with the opportunity to provide offenders with feedback. Feedback increases an offender's awareness of what is happening in his/her life, increases an objective assessment of the factors that have resulted in the offender being on supervision, and begins an opportunity to think about what changes need to be made. Assessing offenders is a continuous process that must occur throughout the period of supervision. Assessment is the process of examining, and re-examining, the people, places, and situations that affect the offender's current circumstances.