Gender-Responsive Assessment (SPIn-W)

The Service Planning Instrument for Women (SPIn-W™) is a gender-responsive assessment and case planning tool. 

SPIn-W contains about one hundred items that assess risk, needs and protective factors that are relevant for increasing responsiveness in case work with justice involved women. 

We have tailored the items in the assessment domains—attitudes, aggression, interpersonal skills, and cognitive skills—to take into account how these risk factors are manifested in female populations.

The full assessment SPIn-W™ is comprised of the following domains:

• Criminal History – Previous offenses and dispositions
• Response to Supervision – Previous performance under criminal justice supervision
• Family and Children – Marital problems/satisfaction, parenting, custody, family of origin
• Social Network – Positive and negative social influences, community participation
• Substance Use – Frequency of use, severity of problems
• Vocational/Employment – Employment/vocational service needs, employment stability
• Attitudes – Anti- and pro-social attitudes
• Social/Cognitive Skills – Interpersonal, problem-solving skills
• Mental Health – Mental health conditions, previous abuse
• Violence – History of violence, anger/hostility
• Community Living – Accommodation, finances, access to resources

Key elements of these SPIn-W™ domains are protective factors and strengths. On reassessment you can monitor for decreases or increases in both needs and strengths.

With SPIn-W™ you can also focus on identifying formal and informal supports across each domain. You can mobilize available supports to address needs and to build strengths while targeting gaps in resources to ensure that all the needs are addressed.

For more information on SPIn-W™, please see our brochure.