Discuss the use of assessments in identifying delinquency risks and difficulties. Why are assessments important? What is the difference between screenings, assessments, and risk assessments?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Early identification of
delinquency risks and difficulties can contribute to the desistance of youthful offending.
However, a large number of juvenile courts do not correctly utilize empirically-supported
structured assessment tools, sometimes relying on practice wisdom or intuition to
determine whether a young person poses a community safety risk. The sheer number of
youthful offenders troubled by mental health, substance abuse, and trauma difficulties
justifies the use of assessments. Screening is a brief process used to identify problems
that are in need of further attention or assessment. Youthful offenders may benefit from
screenings for mental health, trauma, and related problems and may, in fact, require
more thorough assessment. Screening efforts can occur at any point during the juvenile
justice process, but are likely best performed as soon as a young person is involved.
Screening may initially identify problems related to mental health, substance use, family
troubles, school difficulties, trauma, and other related or comorbid difficulties, allowing
for further informed review. Assessments are more thorough investigations of the
identified risks or problem areas for young people and their families. This clinical
method develops a coherent view of the risk or offending outcomes through the
construction of a theory or explanation of why the event happens by gathering
information from the individual, family, and school personnel, among others. Screening
and assessment tools and instruments are of two types: for risk of offending or
recidivism; and, for specific delinquency risk factors such as mental health, trauma, and
substance use. Risk assessments in the juvenile justice system most often measure the
risk of reoffending or rearrest as the outcome of interest. In determining a young
person’s overall risk of recidivism, these assessment measures commonly include
offending history, substance use/abuse, peer delinquency, family problems, and school
related problems, among others areas; and do so through interviews or self-reporting, or
standardized rating scales. Effective risk assessment tools include risk, protective, and
responsivity factors in the determination of offending or recidivism. Risk and protective
factors are important in determining risk for delinquency while responsivity factors are
those areas that can be changed by the young person and his or her family.