Gender-Responsive Policy and Practice Assessment-Community Version (GRPPA-CV)

Overview

The National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women (NRCJIW) collaborated with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and CORE Associates to develop a community version of the Gender-Responsive Policy and Practice Assessment (GRPPA-CV). The GRPPA-CV provides a framework that allows community corrections agencies to examine and assess alignment to evidence-based, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed policies and practices.

Our Approach

The GRPPA development process included a review of the assessment strategies in the Gender-Responsive Program Assessment tool, developed by the Center for Gender and Justice, and the Gender-Informed Practice Assessment, developed by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) in partnership with the Center for Effective Public Policy. The GRPPA was meant to guide jails, prisons, and community corrections programs as they conducted an internal assessment of gender-responsive policies and practices. The NRCJIW worked with NIC and CORE Associates to redesign this tool to focus specifically on agencies providing probation and parole services.

The GRPPA-CV guides agencies to conduct a comprehensive assessment of six domains:

• Leadership and culture
• Staffing and training
• Assessment and case planning
• Programs and services
• Supervision strategies
• Quality assurance and evaluation

The results of the GRPPA-CV assist agencies in identifying priority targets that promote positive outcomes for justice-involved women.

In addition, a training and coaching model was developed to assist agencies in conducting the assessment and developing a strategic plan to implement reforms or enhancements. This model is being used in several community corrections sites across the country.

The Impact

The GRPPA-CV and resulting implementation of evidence-based, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed practices lead to more positive outcomes for community corrections agencies and women, including:

• Reduced rates of absconding and revocation
• Decreases in overall risk level and needs
• A demonstrated increase in personal and social capital that supports the individual well-being of women