Risk Prediction Paper: Risk Assessment case studies of Colleen M. and Xander L

Worksheets, such as the Missouri and Washington Risk Assessments are valuable tools used by criminal justice practitioners. Moreover, Risk Assessment scales are used in both formal and informal capacities, to determine the potential risk or harm an individual poses to society should he or she be released from detention or custody. The following is an example of how the Missouri and Washington Risk Assessment worksheets can be utilized when applied in two completely different cases; it is important to remember that the primary purpose of both Risk Assessment Scales are to identify specific classifications of juvenile offenders. Offenders are classified on a scale of being low, moderate, or at high-risk behavior and each assessment places slightly different emphasis on specific categories, as will be illustrated.

The Missouri Risk Assessment consists of a risk scale that encompasses of the following ten risk factors:

1. Age at first referral

2. Prior referrals

3. Peer relationships

4. Family dynamics

5. School behavior

6. History of abuse and/or neglect

7 Referrals for assault

8 History of out-of-home placement

9. Substance abuse

10. History of parental incarceration

The Washington Risk Assessment consists of a Pre-Screen and a comprehensive or full Assessment. We will only use the Pre-Screen Risk Assessment to compare our results. The pre-screen is used as an initial evaluation of a youth's individuality to determine if interventions are possible. The pre-screen consists of thirty-one questions that reflect the most powerful risk factors to determine level of risk. The pre-screen is an abbreviated version of the full assessment that promptly point out whether a juvenile is of low, moderate, or high risk.

The two that we will be comparing are Missouri Risk Assessment and Washington Risk Assessment is administered to all youth who are on probation. It is usually completed when the juvenile first...