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An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

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Public Safety Risk Assessment Clearinghouse
What We Mean By Risk

What We Mean By Risk


The Clearinghouse focuses on risk of re-offending or non-compliance with justice system requirements in the community.

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What is Risk Assessment

What is Risk Assessment


As a cornerstone of the movement toward data-driven decision making, risk assessment is used across various stages of the legal process to assess an individual’s risk of reoffending (or noncompliance with justice requirements) and identify areas for intervention.

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History of Risk and Needs Assessments

History of Risk and Needs Assessments


The evolution from educated “guess” to evidence-based prediction occurred over four generations of risk assessment development.

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