RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Actuarial risk assessment models: a review of critical issues related to violence and sex-offender recidivism assessments
JF Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
JO J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
FD American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
SP 438
OP 448
VO 28
IS 4
A1 S Sreenivasan
A1 P Kirkish
A1 T Garrick
A1 LE Weinberger
A1 A Phenix
YR 2000
UL http://jaapl.org/content/28/4/438.abstract
AB Risk assessment in the area of identification of violence has been dichotomized by several prominent researchers as the "clinical approach" versus the "actuarial method". The proponents of the actuarial approach argue for actuarially derived decisions to replace existing clinical practice. The actuarial method requires no clinical input, just a translation of the relevant material from the records to calculate the risk score. A risk appraisal approach based upon a sole actuarial method raises several questions: those of public safety, peer-accepted standards of practice, liability issues, and concordance with evidence-based medicine practice. We conclude that the sole actuarial approach fails to satisfy these critical issues.