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Youth Risk/Need Assessment: An Overview of Issues and Practices

Kelly Hannah-Moffat and Paula Maurutto
Department of Sociology - UTM University of Toronto

April 2003

The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice Canada.

Acknowledgements

The authors of the report would like to acknowledge the efforts and assistance of Linn Clark our project administer and the research assistance of Tanya Jewell, Zachary Levinsky, Savino Mazzuocco and Sasmita Rajaratnam .

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Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. 1.0 Introduction
  3. 2.0 Historical Development of Risk/Need Assessments
  4. 3.0 Method
    1. 3.1 Probation officers
    2. 3.2 Crown contacts, custody contacts, and policy/research contacts
    3. 3.3 Academic community
    4. 3.4 Accuracy and consistency
  5. 4.0 Research Findings
    1. 4.1 Methodological limitations
    2. 4.2 Accountability and defensibility
    3. 4.3 Subjective/moral criteria
    4. 4.4 Standardization and consistency
    5. 4.5 Case management
    6. 4.6 Blending of risk and need
    7. 4.7 Gender and diversity
    8. 4.8 Interpreting and presenting the results
    9. 4.9 Training
    10. 4.10 Overrides
    11. 4.11 Reassessments
    12. 4.12 Audits
    13. 4.13 Community resources
  6. 5.0 Risk/Need and the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA)
    1. 5.1 Implications of YCJA on risk/need assessments
    2. 5.2 Extrajudicial measures
    3. 5.3 Pre-trial detention
    4. 5.4 Sentencing
    5. 5.5 Pre-sentence reports
    6. 5.6 Rehabilitation
    7. 5.7 Custody and reintegration
  7. 6.0 Operational and Research Needs
    1. 6.1 Validity and reliability of the tools
    2. 6.2 Potential direct and systemic forms of discrimination
    3. 6.3 Areas for intervention
    4. 6.4 Reintegration
    5. 6.5 Legal research
    6. 6.6 Pre-sentence reports
    7. 6.7 Inform key stakeholders
    8. 6.8 Training
    9. 6.9 Guidelines
    10. 6.10 Audit

Appendix I: Description Of Assessment Tools

Appendix II: Risk/Need Assessment Tools Deployed in Canadian Provinces and Territories

Appendix III: Provincial Profiles

Endnotes

References

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Last Updated: 2005-10-22 Back to Top Important Notices