By Marjorie Rist and Anna Stewart
Submitted for publication in *Corrections Today*, *American Jails*, or *Federal Probation*
Correctional leaders today face a complex reality: they are tasked with lengthy interactions with those on high-volume and varied caseloads, making more decisions, and delivering more rehabilitative services, often with shrinking budgets and critically understaffed teams. One of the most essential yet vulnerable parts of this process is the risk and needs assessment, which underpins decisions related to housing, supervision, parole, and programming.
Traditionally, these assessments are conducted manually by human interviewers, often in busy settings with multiple competing priorities. But what if these interviews could be conducted with greater accuracy, reliability, and empathy, regardless of staffing levels?
That’s the promise of Aida, an AI-powered interviewing platform purpose-built for the corrections system. More than a data-gathering tool, Aida is an intelligent, adaptive assistant that utilizes evidence-based interviewing practices to ensure every risk and needs assessment is high-quality, unbiased, and more reliable.
The Hidden Cost of Inconsistency
Human-conducted assessments are subject to significant variability. Research shows that inter-rater reliability—a measure of how consistently different individuals assess the same case—can vary widely across jurisdictions. In one meta-analysis, the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) demonstrated an inter-rater reliability range from 0.52 to 0.88, depending on assessor training and implementation fidelity (Andrews, Bonta, & Wormith, 2006). This inconsistency can lead to erroneous risk classification and inappropriate interventions, potentially endangering public safety and undermining rehabilitation goals.
Aida addresses this by standardizing the entire interview process. It never omits a question, never misinterprets a response, and always produces a detailed, review-ready report with flagged risk areas, historical context, and recommended follow-ups.
Built on Science, Designed for Impact
Aida is trained in motivational interviewing (MI), a technique with demonstrated effectiveness in eliciting behavior change in justice-involved populations. Studies have shown that MI increases engagement and reduces recidivism when applied during intake and supervision (McMurran, 2009; Walters et al., 2007). By incorporating MI principles, Aida fosters a conversational, person-centered interview that encourages deeper disclosure and collaboration.
Moreover, Aida’s algorithms adapt dynamically to each individual’s responses. If a person mentions substance use, trauma, or instability, Aida branches into deeper, evidence-informed questioning—using inputs from criminogenic needs literature and multiple validated risk and needs assessment tools.
Technology That Saves Time—And Lives
Every Aida interview generates a full transcript, an audio file, and a summary report complete with a “veracity score”—an AI-estimated confidence level in the information’s completeness and accuracy. These tools enable case managers to transition seamlessly from interview to action, eliminating the need to decipher handwritten notes or wait days for reports to be typed and reviewed.
In jurisdictions where Aida has been piloted, agencies report a 2–3x increase in assessment throughput, with staff expressing higher confidence in the results and spending more time on human engagement and less on paperwork.
Compliance, Safety, and Scalability
Aida helps ensure compliance with federal regulations like the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), which mandates risk screenings for vulnerability and potential for abuse. Aida includes tailored PREA screening modules to identify risks and recommend placements based on both federal guidance and facility-specific policy.
Its cloud-based platform is secure, scalable, and integrates with existing case management systems. For agencies facing steep workforce attrition and litigation risks, Aida isn’t just innovative—it’s essential.
A Smarter Path Forward
The future of corrections depends on our ability to blend compassion with consistency and insight with efficiency. Aida represents that future—a tool that transforms interviews from bureaucratic obligations into moments of truth, care, and connection.
By eliminating inconsistency and improving data quality, Aida empowers correctional leaders to make smarter, safer decisions while restoring meaning and impact to frontline roles.
Citations
– Andrews, D. A., Bonta, J., & Wormith, J. S. (2006). The recent past and near future of risk and/or need assessment. *Crime & Delinquency*, 52(1), 7–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128705281756
– McMurran, M. (2009). Motivational interviewing with offenders: A systematic review. *Legal and Criminological Psychology*, 14(1), 83–100. https://doi.org/10.1348/135532508X278326
– Walters, S. T., Clark, M. D., Gingerich, R., & Meltzer, M. L. (2007). Motivating offenders to change: A guide for probation and parole. National Institute of Corrections.
– Taxman, F. S., Shepardson, E. S., & Byrne, J. M. (2004). Tools of the trade: A guide to incorporating science into practice. National Institute of Corrections.
