forensic Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment video and discussion

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After watching the following video on risk assessment, provide an initial post addressing the following questions (250 word minimum in initial post).  Then reply to at least two different students in the class.

Joan Petersilia presents Sentencing, Risk Assessment, and Re-Offending. Stanford, March, 2013 (Links to an external site.)

Questions:

1.  What does Dr. Joan Petersiliar say about the "peril" of risk assessment?  In other words, what is the "peril" of risk assessment in the Dr. Petersiliar's opinion.

2.  What are the benefit's of using actuarial risk assessments according to Dr. Petersiliar?

3.  Why did California better fund risk assessment tools over (instead of) treatment programs?

4.  How have computers helped in the use of risk assessments?

5.  What are some things Dr. Petersiliar says is wrong (not working well) with current risk assessment tools used in California?

6.  What does she mean by Time and Context sensitive factors with risk assessment tools....give a specific example for each - "time" and "context" sensitive issue.

7.  What is the bias in using past arrest as a predictive indicator of recidivism?  What is Dr. Petersiliar's concern here?