At the 2025 AJFO Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, Valerie Bagley, Chief Program Officer at The Change Companies, and Lisa Hall, Correctional Case Management Administrator at the Oregon Department of Corrections, co-presented a session titled Redefining Risk and Resilience: Using the WRNA and Interactive Journaling to Support Justice-Involved Women.
The presentation highlighted how the Women’s Risk and Needs Assessment (WRNA) - a trauma-informed, gender-responsive tool - can be paired with Interactive Journaling® to better support justice-involved women.
Justice-involved women often have unique criminogenic needs and strengths that differ from those of men. The WRNA, designed specifically for adult women, is endorsed by the United Nations as adhering to the Bangkok Rules. Unlike generic assessments, it not only evaluates risk factors for recidivism, but also identifies strengths that can be leveraged for positive change.
Lisa Hall shared how Oregon DOC has successfully integrated the WRNA, noting the dramatic shift in client engagement once the assessment replaced more generic tools. “The level of collaboration between counselors and clients completely changed - it became a conversation about their lives, families, and goals, rather than a checklist,” she explained.
Valerie Bagley introduced the WRNA Collection of Interactive Journals, which align directly with WRNA domains. Grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and the stages of change model, these Journals help women challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, build self-regulation, and develop practical life skills.
Valerie emphasized, “Interactive Journaling® is designed to evoke change talk and reflection. Instead of telling women what they should do, we ask questions that help them define their own goals and motivations.”
Lessons from Oregon DOCLisa provided real-world examples of how Oregon DOC applies the WRNA and Interactive Journaling® in practice. With limited counselor resources, DOC prioritized services for women at higher risk of recidivism, pairing assessments with targeted Journals. Counselors found the Women’s Criminal Thinking, Women’s Anger Management and Women’s Relationships Journals particularly impactful, often serving as entry points to deeper conversations about boundaries, personal values, and change readiness.
Lisa noted that many women, when asked if they wanted feedback from their WRNA assessment, eagerly accepted. “Most women want to know what the results say about them. It gives them a chance to reflect and start shaping their own case plans,” she said.
The session concluded with small-group discussions where participants explored how gender-responsive tools could be applied in their own settings. Many noted that Interactive Journaling® offered a more relational and engaging alternative to traditional case management approaches.
Participants left with practical ideas to:
By combining the WRNA’s evidence-based assessment with Interactive Journaling’s structured, reflective interventions, justice agencies can create a more responsive system that empowers women to build resilience and reduce recidivism.
Valerie closed with an invitation for attendees to reflect on their own work: “Even if you’re not currently using the WRNA, think about how these approaches could strengthen the way you engage and support justice-involved women in your programs.”