NCJ Number
136786
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 43 Issue: 1 Dated: (1992) Pages: 61-67
Date Published
1992
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A survey of all 50 States gathered information on the current state-of-the-art in juvenile risk assessment used in decisions about restrictiveness, supervision, and the type and intensity of treatment needed.
Abstract
The data were gathered through mailings of the initial survey in the fall of 1989 and of a summary of results in June 1990. Results revealed that most States have some semblance of risk assessment of juvenile offenders, but a minority of States have formal risk-assessment instruments. The main risk factors measured include measures of offense severity, past history of offending, age, psychological measures, the use of community resources, drug abuse, prior institutionalization, family problems, peer group association, and absconding. Seventy-seven percent of the States using formal or informal risk assessments use the current offense as a deciding criteria for ratings of risk. Seventy-nine percent consider offense history as a basis of risk assessment. Results suggest the need for research examining the relationships of risk factors with recidivism, offense severity, and patterns of delinquency escalation. Chart and 21 references (Author abstract modified)