At the request of many states, the National Office in conjunction with several standing committees developed the three voluntary self assessment tools described below. While not every member state will have a need or an interest in conducting a voluntary self assessment of their compact office, technical assistance is available through the Commission’s training and technical assistance policy.

Comprehensive Self Assessment Program
The ICAOS Comprehensive Self Assessment Program is a voluntary, internal process by which an agency seeks to achieve, objectively verify, and maintain high quality in their operations through a periodic process of self-evaluations conducted either by agency staff or with the assistance of an outside independent agency or organization. This program has an extensive set of standards that encompass all Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision rules and established industry practices.

This particular program is much like an accreditation processes and requires significant effort and a modest amount of resources. While there are many benefits to completing this program, agencies with limited resources may find either the Assessing Critical Public Safety Standards program or the Self Assessment Checklist tool to be more practical.

Assessing Critical Public Safety Standards for Interstate Compact
The Assessing Critical Public Safety Standards for Interstate Compact program is a limited version of the Comprehensive Self Assessment Program. While the process is nearly the same, the standards in this program are limited to those that the states have identified as critical in a 2008 survey.

Self Assessment Check List for Interstate Compact
Not every member state has a need to conduct a formal self assessment program. This check list is meant to serve as an aid for states to determine if critical compact rules and practices are properly supported by written policies and audit standards. State agencies that do not provide probation services should encourage local probation agencies to complete the assessment.

Miscellaneous Tools

Self Assessment Notice - Agencies are encouraged to notify the National Office using the included form, when a decision is made to begin a self assessment.  Once the notice is received the National Office will contact you to determine if the Commission can be of assistance by providing technical support.

Status Report - The status report is a useful tool for documenting progress and compliance.