The Risk-Need-Responsivity principle was developed by Donald Arthur Andrews and James Bonta in 1990. It integrates the psychology of criminal conduct into an understanding of how to reduce recidivism. Using this concept, they identify three principles to guide the assessment and treatment of offenders to advance rehabilitative goals as well as reduce risk to society: risk principle, need principle, and responsivity principle (RNR).
This content has not been updated in more than 5 years. It may be outdated and links may no longer function. Please contact the NIC Helpdesk if you have any questions about this content or would like to report a broken link.
Evidence Based Practices Implementation for Capacity (EPIC) Resource Center: Risk-Need-Responsivity
Notice about external resources
These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. NIC bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.