| dc.description.abstract | Purpose of the Study: The study's purpose was to assess existing juvenile assessment practices
prior to probation placement and their effect on probation outcomes.
Methodology: The current study used a concurrent-triangulation mixed-method approach, with
226 respondents drawn from Nairobi County's juvenile probationers and probation practitioners.
Data was collected using structured questionnaires and a key informant interview guide, and it was
analysed descriptively (frequency and percentages), inferentially (binary logistic regression
model), and qualitatively.
Findings: The study found that properly carried out pre-probation assessment practices
significantly reduce recidivism. However, the lack of juvenile-specific Risk-Need-Responsivity
(RNR) assessment tools, a one-week induction period with only passing mentions of juvenile
issues, and insufficient training in the existing juvenile assessment mechanisms hampered the
optimal juvenile assessment procedure. Rushed assessments were also identified as a barrier to the
optimal juvenile assessment process.
Conclusion: Overall, while the existing probation assessment process plays an important role in
shaping the outcomes for juvenile offenders by lowering recidivism rates, a number of flaws limit
its effectiveness.
Recommendations: The study recommends that probation develop and implement specialized
Risk Needs and Responsivity (RNR) assessment tools tailored to juveniles. The probation
department's entry-job induction guidelines should be revised to include training with a strong
emphasis on juvenile topics, as well as the use of RNR assessment tools. Further, juvenile
probation officers require more training focused on the juvenile offender population | en_US |
