Webinar: “Local Validation: Close Enough Is Not Good Enough”

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Webinar: “Local Validation: Close Enough Is Not Good Enough”

May 5, 2026 | Evident Change

Two people collaborating and looking at data on a computer screen.

The American Probation and Parole Association 2024 National Standards for Community Supervision call for the use of locally validated risk and needs assessments. But what does local really mean—and how do you know if an assessment is truly valid for your agency?

Many agencies rely on tools validated elsewhere, assuming “close enough” is good enough. This webinar challenges that assumption. You’ll learn why accuracy is not the same as validity, how predictive performance and fairness can vary across jurisdictions, and what’s at stake when tools are not tested against your own population.

Using real-world examples, we’ll walk through what happens when agencies conduct local validation and how those findings can impact classification, case planning, and fairness. We’ll also introduce a practical, step-by-step approach to local validation that works even with limited resources.

You’ll leave with clear, actionable strategies to:

  • Make the case for local validation with leadership
  • Plan and commission a validation effort
  • Interpret results and apply them to supervision practice

This session is designed for community supervision leaders, researchers, and practitioners looking to strengthen decision making, improve defensibility, and align with national standards.

Please join us for the webinar Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 1:00 CDT. 

Register