Format
Scientific article
Publication Date
Published by / Citation
Douglas, T., Pugh, J., Singh, I., Savulescu, J., & Fazel, S. (2017). Risk assessment tools in criminal justice and forensic psychiatry: The need for better data. European Psychiatry, 42, 134–137. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.12.009
Original Language

English

Country
United Kingdom
Themes
Keywords
violence
Forensic Psychiatry
Ethics and Human Rights
risk assessment
crime prediction
racial profiling

Risk Assessment Tools in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychiatry: The Need for Better Data

Abstract

Violence risk assessment tools are increasingly used within criminal justice and forensic psychiatry, however there is little relevant, reliable and unbiased data regarding their predictive accuracy. We argue that such data are needed to (i) prevent excessive reliance on risk assessment scores, (ii) allow matching of different risk assessment tools to different contexts of application, (iii) protect against problematic forms of discrimination and stigmatisation, and (iv) ensure that contentious demographic variables are not prematurely removed from risk assessment tools.