Evaluation of the Parole Violations Decision-Making Instrument (PVDMI) Pilot

Principal Investigator: Susan Turner, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO), in conjunction with the Center for Effective Public Policy (CEPP) has developed the Parole Violation Decision Making Instrument (PVDMI). This tool allows parole agents and administrators to consider parolee risk, severity of parole violation and significant stabilizing and destabilizing factors in a parolee’s life in determining the most appropriate sanction response to parole violations. DAPO conducted a 90-day pilot of the PVDMI at four parole units late in November, 2008.

The Center for Evidence-Based Corrections conducted an evaluation of the PVDMI pilot. The evaluation included a qualitative component involving interviews with parole agents and administrators as well as quantitative analysis of data recorded in the PVDMI and from other CDCR data sources