All trainings are geared towards agencies, not individuals.
Onsite and UCCI-based training for Effective Correctional Programming
On-site and UCCI-based training for administrators and practitioners in offender assessment, case management, correctional classification, staff skill building, cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), risk reduction, and best practices.
The most popular UCCI training programs include core skills for facilitators of cognitive-behavioral interventions, an overview of "what works" in correctional intervention, and trainings on the use of the Level of Service inventory-Revised (LSI-R), one of the most thoroughly researched risk/needs instruments.
The UCCI now offers a variety of trainings and provides technical assistance to correctional agencies throughout the United States. Over the past year, the UCCI has delivered 17 trainings and has conducted 22 evaluations of correctional programs in 15 states and Scotland.
Assessment and Classification
Level of Service Inventory – Revised (LSI-R)
The LSI-R is one of the most researched risk/need instruments currently in use. This training provides participants with an overview of assessment practices and techniques for administering and scoring the LSI-R and using the assessment information to develop case plans for reducing offender risk. This training can be delivered in a two or three day format. A “train-the-trainers” session is also available to equip agencies to conduct their own staff trainings.
Youth Level of Service Inventory (YLS/CMI)
The YLS/CMI is a dynamic risk/needs assessment and case management inventory for juvenile offenders. This assessment is based on the same principles and theory behind the LSI-R with modifications to make the instrument responsive to juvenile offenders. Training for the YLS/CMI can be delivered in two or three day formats and covers general principles of risk assessment, administration and scoring of the instrument, as well as instruction on using information gathered through the assessment for purposes of case planning. A three day “train-the-trainers” session is also available to equip agencies to conduct their own staff training.
Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS)
The ORAS is a dynamic risk/needs assessment system to be used with adult offenders. It offers criminal justice actors the ability to assess individuals at various decision points throughout the criminal justice system. In order to use the ORAS, agencies must be trained. There is no cost to use the ORAS after training takes place. The training provides an overview of the assessment tools and techniques for administering and scoring the individual assessments and how to use the assessment information to develop case plans for reducing offender risk. This is a two day training. A “train-the-trainers” is also available to equip agencies to conduct their own staff trainings. ORAS Validation Report ORAS Administration Modules
Ohio Youth Assessment System (OYAS)
The OYAS is a dynamic risk/needs assessment system to be used within a juvenile justice system. It is similar to the ORAS in that it allows individuals to be assessed at various decision points throughout the criminal justice system. In order to use the OYAS, agencies must be trained. There is no cost to use the OYAS after training takes place.The training provides an overview of the assessment tools and techniques for administering and scoring the individual assessments and how to use the assessment information to develop case plans for reducing offender risk. This is a two day training. A “train-the-trainers” is also available to equip agencies to conduct their own staff trainings. Detailed System Overview OYAS Final Report
Treatment and Intervention Strategies
Overview of “What Works” with Offender Populations
This training presents an overview of the strategies associated with successful correctional programming. Specific topics to be discussed include: (a) an overview of cognitive behavioral interventions with specific skills and tools; (b) a review of risk, criminogenic needs and responsivity factors, as well as how to integrate these factors into case plans; (c) the importance of staff characteristics in effective programming; (d) how to use reinforcers and punishers effectively; and (e) how to evaluate behavioral change.
Case Planning and Case Management Skills
The case planning training teaches staff the skills necessary to apply effective assessment strategies and create empirically informed offender case plans. Participants learn to use dynamic risk needs assessment in order to link offenders to needed treatment programs and interventions. The two day training consists of numerous exercises to guide correctional staff in creating comprehensive case plans based on offender assessments, case files, and interviews.
Skills for Facilitators of Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions
The facilitator training for Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions is a three day training that instructs treatment staff and correctional workers on the core skills needed to facilitate and support cognitive behavioral programming. The training helps staff develop the skills needed to effectively deliver cognitive behavioral interventions, regardless of the specific curriculum that they use. Specific topics to be discussed include: (a) an overview of cognitive-behavioral treatment; (b) the effects of thoughts, feelings, and attitudes on behavior; (c) the identification of targets for treatment and strategies for impacting those targets; (d) the importance of therapeutic alliance and impact of staff attitudes on program effectiveness, and (e) how to use the key techniques of modeling, role-playing, reinforcers and punishers. The importance of quality assurance is stressed in this workshop.
Motivational Interviewing- Introductory*
This training provides participants with an overview of Motivational Interviewing and how to use these skills to promote positive behavior change. The training introduces Motivational interviewing as a collaborative, person-centered form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change. It covers the basics of MI, the practical guidelines in the applications of MI, and the specific skills related to MI. This introductory training is delivered in a two-day format.
Motivational Interviewing- Intermediate*
Building on the Introductory training, an Intermediate workshop is offered to integrate basic skills into practical application. Depending on the needs and resources of the agency or organization, the length of the workshop can be determined. This workshop will allow for skill practice and understanding of the macro perspective related to specific micro skills.
Prerequisite for Training: Training participants must have completed the Introductory training workshop.
Motivational Interviewing- Advanced*
In order to support agencies in building internal capacity, UCCI offers an advanced MI training delivered by a Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) member and resulting in training participants’ designation as MINT-Trained Trainers (MTTs). This designation affords criminal justice professionals the option to join the criminal justice (CJ) MINT listserv, a resource connecting MI CJ practitioners worldwide. The workshop is intended to be delivered in a five-day format, which includes administration of the Video Assessment Simulated Response instrument and individual teach-backs with feedback and coaching.
Prerequisite for Training: Training participants must have completed the Introductory and Intermediate training workshops.
Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity 3.1 Training*
The Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity instrument 3.1 (MITI) is a behavioral coding system measuring MI beginning competency and proficiency. It can be used for research purposes or as a means of providing structured, formal feedback about ways to improve practice. This instrument is a coding system which measures an interaction from two perspectives: globally and behaviorally. As agencies, which have already implemented MI training and practice, move toward continual improvement and treatment fidelity, they will want to employ internal quality assurance measures to further support best practice among their staff and improved outcomes with their clients. The University of Cincinnati’s Correctional Institute offers MITI coding, training and implementation designed and tailored to the individual needs of each agency.
Prerequisite for Training: Training participants must demonstrate proficiency in motivational interviewing practice.
Moyers, Martin, Manuel, Miller and Ernst (2009). The MITI 3.1 instrument was validated using twenty-minute, random segments of audio taped interviews.
Effective Practices in Community Supervision (EPICS)*
The research on the principles of effective intervention, coupled with the most recent research on community supervision, provided the impetus for the development of a new model by the University of Cincinnati: Effective Practices in Community Supervision. The purpose of the EPICS model is to teach probation and parole officers how to apply the principles of effective intervention and core correctional practices specifically to community supervision practices. Probation officers are taught to increase dosage to higher risk offenders, stay focused on criminogenic needs, especially the thought-behavior link, and to use a social learning, cognitive behavioral approach to their interactions. The training is four days long. The first 3 days cover all the above topics while the last day is specific for supervisors and begins the process on how to provide supervision and support to the officers implementing these skills.
Thinking for a Change Training- An Integrated Cognitive Behavior Change Program*
Thinking for a Change (T4C) is a cognitive-behavioral program, led by a simple principle, thinking (internal behavior) controls actions (external behavior). Therefore, it is necessary to target an individual’s thinking in order to change their actions and increase the potential to reduce recidivism. This five-day facilitator training incorporates two main learning objectives: 1). to personally understand the curriculum concepts and skills, and 2). to practice facilitating deliver of each of the three components (cognitive self change, social skills and problem solving). To this end, facilitators are guided through a process towards understanding the foundations of cognitive-behavioral approaches, and being able to articulate the core principles and components of T4C.
Aggression Interruption Training*
The Aggression Interruption Training (AIT) program is a cognitive-behavioral, thirty-session program. During these sessions, group participants gain tools to increase anger control, learn social skills and evaluate their values and beliefs. The group facilitator training is a four to five day workshop depending on the number of participants and needs of the agency. Participants are offered technical assistance upon request as they implement AIT within their agency.
*These sessions have been added to the complement of trainings within the past year.
Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions for Substance Abuse Treatment
Developed by the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute, this curriculum is designed for individuals that are moderate to high need in the area of substance abuse and well suited for criminal justice populations. The curriculum can be delivered as a stand-alone substance abuse intervention, or incorporated into a larger program, particularly those designed for clients in the corrections system. As the name of the curriculum suggests, this intervention relies on a cognitive behavioral approach to teach participants strategies for avoiding substance abuse. The program places heavy emphasis on skill building activities to assist with cognitive, social, emotional, and coping skill development. Such cognitive behavioral strategies have routinely demonstrated high treatment effects, including when used with a correctional population. The curriculum is non-proprietary, but training is required. A training-of-trainers is also available for those trained on the curriculum. The components of the curriculum include pretreatment (optional), Motivational Enhancement, Cognitive Restructuring, Emotional Regulation, Social Skills, Problem Solving, and Relapse Prevention. An adolescent version is also available.
Program Evaluation
Evaluation and Performance Measurement
This two day workshop presents an overview of strategies for evaluating correctional programs. The major part of the workshop focuses on the production of performance measures specific to the program/agency requesting service. This workshop can be tailored to the specific needs of the contracting agency.
Correctional Program Checklist (CPC)
The Evidence Based Correctional Program Checklist (CPC) is a tool developed for assessing correctional intervention programs, and is used to ascertain how closely correctional programs meet known principles of effective intervention. Several recent studies conducted by the University of Cincinnati on both adult and juvenile programs were used to develop and validate the indicators on the CPC. These studies found strong correlations with outcome between both domain areas and individual items (Holsinger, 1999; Lowenkamp and Latessa, 2003, Lowenkamp, 2003; Lowenkamp & Latessa, 2005a; Lowenkamp and Latessa, 2005b). We have also conducted over 400 program assessments across the country and have developed a large database on correctional intervention programs.
In addition to conducting CPC’s we also provide a three day training that includes one day of classroom instruction, one to one-and a half days on-site at a program, and one half day to review scoring with trainees. A follow-up visit or video-conference is also part of training, but is conducted after the trainees have assessed some programs. Training is only offered to state, local, federal and government agencies as well as non-profit agencies.
Correctional Program Assessment Inventory – 2000 (CPAI-2000)
The Correctional Program Assessment Inventory-2010 (CPAI-2010) is a tool developed for assessing correctional intervention programs. The CPAI-2010 provides a more precise estimate of the basic elements of a program’s treatment protocol. Similarly, to the CPC we also provide a three day training that includes one day of classroom instruction, one to one-and a half days on-site at a program, and one half day to review scoring with trainees. A follow-up visit or video-conference is also part of training, but is conducted after the trainees have assessed some programs. Training is only offered to state, local, federal and government agencies as well as non-profit agencies.