Research at a glance

September 2008 | Number R191
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Revalidation of the Security Reclassification Scale for Women (SRSW)

KEY WORDS: women offenders, security reclassification, institutional adjustment, risk

Why we did this study

Correctional Service of Canada uses security classifications to manage offenders. These classifications are important because they influence institutional placements, supervision requirements, and program placement.

In 2005, the Correctional Service of Canada implemented the Security Reclassification Scale for Women (SRSW), a gender-informed scale developed specifically for use with women offenders. The scale now anchors all security reclassification decisions for federally incarcerated women offenders.

The SRSW provides a recommended security level, but caseworkers also complete a clinical appraisal for each case. Both are considered in reaching a final security placement.

The scale had previously been validated during its field-test prior to implementation. An important component of using such scales, however, is periodic revalidation. Since two years had elapsed since the scale’s implementation, we decided that it was time to conduct a revalidation of the scale.

What we did

Our revalidation involved all security reviews conducted in a two year period. We used information from the files of each offender who underwent a security review. We also gathered feedback from staff members who had experience conducting and supervising security reviews.

What we found

The study showed that the SRSW is still reliable and valid, both when applied to Aboriginal women and to non-Aboriginal women.

The SRSW recommendations were associated with institutional adjustment and with risk. As expected, women with lower security classifications were better adjusted than those with higher classifications - they had lower frequencies of institutional misconducts, lower need ratings, and higher reintegration potential. Those with lower security classifications were also lower risk - that is, they had lower risk ratings and were more frequently granted parole.

In about a third of the security reviews in this study, SRSW recommendations and final security placements were different. (This happens when the caseworker’s clinical appraisal suggests that a different level of security would be more appropriate.) We found that in these cases, scale recommendations were more strongly associated with involvement in institutional misconducts and the granting of parole than were actual security placements.

What it means

This study shows that the SRSW continues to meet its objectives and to be appropriate for use. In other words, our findings support the Correctional Service of Canada’s approach to security reclassification for federally incarcerated women offenders.

The study also shows that scale recommendations and final placements are different relatively often. This is an area that requires more investigation.

For more information

Gobeil, R. (2008). Revalidation of the Security Reclassification Scale for Women (SRSW). Research Report R-191. Ottawa: Correctional Service Canada.

http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r191/r191-eng.shtml

Prepared by: Renée Gobeil

Contact

Research Branch
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