Citation

Declue G. J. Threat Assess. 2003; 2(2): 73-92.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1300/J177v02n02_05

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This case study presents an extreme example of a problem that appears to occur frequently: misuse of risk assessment instruments in sex offender evaluations. This study does not critique the instruments themselves, but highlights problems in their application to specific cases. A particular challenge to evaluators is how to assess risk when some data about the subject are unknown or unreliable. For some currently used risk-assessment instruments, there are no established guidelines for how to accommodate missing data. Evaluators must not use actuarial instruments when there is insufficient reliable data to score the instruments. Instead, evaluators should list relevant risk factors and describe which factors are present, absent, or unknown.