Risk Assessment
The risk assessment is part of a case management
process initiated by the Juvenile Court Administrators of Washington State
in 1997. The Juvenile Court Administrators, in
collaboration with the Washington State Institute for Public Policy,
developed a risk assessment tool to assist probation officers in
determining the level of risk for reoffending, identifying targets for
intervention, developing a case management plan, and monitoring progress
in reducing risk factors.
The risk assessment measures risk in several domains,
including criminal history, school, use of free time, employment,
relationships, family, alcohol and drugs, mental health, attitudes,
behavior and skills. Areas that place the youth at risk to reoffend are
identified, as well as the youth’s strengths or assets, and a case plan
is developed to reduce the youth’s risk to reoffend. Priority targets,
goals and tasks are established with the youth’s assistance. Target
dates are established and throughout community supervision progress is
monitored and goals are continually altered.
Implementation of the risk assessment enables probation
officers to promote positive changes in the attitudes and behaviors in
youth on community supervision while monitoring court-ordered sanctions.
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