This Action Guide is designed to help parole boards improve and strengthen their practices by incorporating empirically valid information on offender risk and need factors into release, condition setting, and revocation decision-making. It is one in a series of Action Guides developed by the National Parole Resource Center (NPRC) and builds upon the NPRC's Self-Assessment Toolkit for Paroling Authorities, an online guide that identifies ten practice targets paroling authorities should consider implementing to assist them in achieving their public safety and risk reduction goals. This guide is intended to assist parole board chairs, members, and staff to: use the information and insights gained as a result of using the NPRC Self-Assessment Toolkit for Paroling Authorities; consider how use of validated risk and needs assessment tools can be part of a strategy for enhancing public safety and the effective and efficient use of resources; develop a common understanding of the board's current policies and practices on risk and need assessment information; review and analyze the evidence and "best practices" on risk and needs assessment, identify the gaps and challenges they want to address; and consider what changes the board would like to make and how to best plan and implement those changes.