Risk assessment standard tests for predicting vilence found ineffective

http://psychcentral.com/news/2015/11/13/standard-tests-for-predicting-violence-found-ineffective/94796.html

How many of your departments use a risk assessment tool?  Even if it is part of the evidence based treatment that is the flavor of the month at the moment, isn't it essentially for predicting violence? 

I've personally experienced using the tool my department uses and found it was not effective in assessing the worst types of offenders - gang members and dope dealers.  Granted, if they've not been very good at what they do and have been caught a lot, there will be risk assessed in the right places.  But what about the new ones to the game, who will more likely use violence to prove their place?  Or the smarter ones who rarely get caught?

This article has some interesting points on what an assessment tool should look like.

P. O. Doe


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