Getting Out and Staying Out! Leaving Prison behind for good.
Knowledge and Management of Criminogenic Risk Factors
By: Toni White, J.D. (Co-Founder and Co-Director of Ascend)
This is the first of a series of articles covering the reasons people re-offend and how they can mitigate that risk. If you have been incarcerated, or have a friend or family member who is in prison or on parole, understanding the risks and how to avoid them is invaluable information.
A key puzzle piece in avoiding a return to jail, prison or probation is knowing how to address the sneaky predictors of crime: Criminogenic Risk Factors.
“Criminogenic risk factors” is a fancy term with a simple definition. Criminogenic risk factors are factors that make a person more likely to commit a crime. There are dynamic and static risk factors. Static risk factors are factors which we cannot change such as age or criminal history. Dynamic risk factors are quite different. Dynamic risk factors are factors that we CAN change. This is where the magic happens!