NCJ Number
231451
Journal
Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: May-June 2010 Pages: 201-213
Date Published
May 2010
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article illustrates how forensic mental health practitioners can use risk assessments to guide treatment for youths' sexual offending behaviors.
Abstract
Risk assessments of adolescents who have committed sexual offenses are often used to guide court decisions about dispositions. Beyond their use in legal decision making, risk assessments can also be helpful in treatment planning. In this article, the authors describe how risk assessments may be used to plan level of care, develop an individualized treatment plan, and evaluate treatment progress for juveniles who have committed a sexual offense. They include a brief overview of research on juvenile risk assessments, provide a clinical case example to demonstrate the process of integrating risk assessments into treatment planning, and conclude with practice recommendations for forensic mental health practitioners. References (Published Abstract)