The problem of crime is a prevalent one in the society. Law enforcement works toward ensuring the least possible of such occurrence as would be termed criminal activity. In order for this, the process utilizes criminal risk assessment as means to determine the probability of criminal activity. Criminal risk assessment allows the system to determine whether a criminal is likely to perpetrate an act of crime again. In this manner, law enforcement assures the society of a more secure environment. The process of risk assessment engages more than one tool for assessment in order to ensure the highest possible levels of accuracy. The tools employed involve the use of actuarial risk assessment method and psychopathic check interchangeably. These are the most common tools of risk assessment in the process of the same. Bodies such as the NCCD incorporate these tools as the means to determine supervision involved for criminals or justice, supervision strategies of juvenile cases and the potential that adult criminals would become victims of vices such as self-neglect arising from disability (Wormith, 2006).
This essay implores the nature of a judicial system flowchart and the different steps that are necessary for maintaining law and order. It seeks to encourage the positive impact of criminal risk assessment. It achieves such encouragement through the review of articles concerning the management and appraisal of risk for violent offenders. It also reviews an article on recent past and future need for risk assessment. The aim of the article on the recent past and future of risk assessment is to ensure responsibility on the part of law enforcement. Such responsibility allows for the creation of a better society given that the need and risk are reviewed as beneficial terms to the assessment process. The same article dwells on the matter of responsibility as something that the criminal mind can be molded into. The main aim of risk assessment is to determine the possibility of criminal activity after the first activity. The assessment utilizes behavioral observation of the criminal trend in an effort to attain the best possible predictions. These predictions are useful in that they determine the form of supervision to be allocated that criminal. In this way, a state can ensure less crime and curb more of it. Also, it is able to mold its members into better people with the use of the least possible resources (Wormith, 2006).
The recent past and future of risk assessment
The article seeks to expound on the importance of evaluative processes in adopting tools of risk assessment. It insists on the importance of historical observation of assessment trends of criminal behavior and the criminals themselves. The main idea behind this approach is to ensure that facts and relevant occurrences such as a change in society are taken into consideration. In this manner, the author seeks to illustrate the importance of comparison and prediction, therefore. The risk factors, in this case, revolve around time and the nature of the human mind, more specifically the criminal mind. The article acknowledges the impact of social matters such as divorce and sexual abuse that lead to the development of tendencies to be violence in criminals. Furthermore, the article differentiates between mild cases and chronic ones where a criminal repeatedly commits acts of violence of sexual offenses. The article aims at pointing out the importance of correctional action at an early stage in order to avoid development of criminal behavior (Wormith, 2006).
In this article, the importance of criminal risk assessment revolves around justice. The system utilizes the history of such events to predict the future of the same. The same system also goes ahead to align the responsibility of a criminal to age, sex and ethnicity. The strategies employed ensure that the person in question receives the most suitable learning experience to their background. The argument behind this article is that the nature of a person will determine a great deal the outcome of a criminal. The terms of correction involved are a risk and need. These are solved by the employment of intermediate targets and treatment agendas are pursued. The approaches explained by Wormith in this review encourage correctional measures that allow the use of motivational strategies for learning. The approaches suggested in this article are more specific as they entail a historic consideration of criminology and its evolution. Through such observations, the author is able to separate criminogenic from non-criminogenic approaches (Wormith, 2006).
The article encourages the follow-up process of assessment since such is the basis of a positive outcome. Accordingly, reassessments of the criminal offense and criminal background, cultural and sexual orientations appear to be great contributors to the assessment. The author encourages observation of criminals for responsiveness to and through service delivery, intermediate outcomes, and service plans. For such intermediate plans to maintain positivity in the final outcome, there is a need to consider the criminogenic and non-criminogenic aspects. In this manner, the approach is as refined as possible. The article suggests constant reviewing of the same, however. Such reviewing is necessary since the nature of the criminal mind is one that constantly evolves. It means that such a mind will change over time and, therefore, approaches to aid its correction ought to change as well (Yang, Wong & Coid, 2010).
The article is educative for the administrators of risk assessment tools as well as the society and the criminal themselves. These benefit from the fact that the system becomes flexible with time. The fourth generation module allows for the illustration of the performance of the forecasted behavior of criminals. It is possible through application of historic behavioral observation for future prediction. In order to realize a trend in criminal behavior, the author quotes articles from the 1990’s. He compares this to those from more recent times and commends the PCC model that was developed in this period. The model, Psychology of Criminal Conduct allows for the most impactful analysis of clinical conduct. For this reason, such a model is useful for correctional purposes. The article is also keen to mention the negative impact of opinionated perspective that challenges the operation of risk assessment programs. Such perspectives involve humanistic, feminist and critical criminologist ideologies (Yang, Wong & Coid, 2010).
Violent Offenders, Appraising and Managing Risk
The aim of this article is to address factors that contribute to negative results of risk assessment processes. It mentions the specific factors that contribute to the nature of the crime. It is through these specific means that the article suggests a feasible solution for risk assessment. It asserts that realization of positive impact on criminal risk is the indicator of the effectiveness of an approach. The article seeks the greatest possible accuracy and, therefore, employs more than one tool for this result. The article also goes ahead to engage long term and short term tools to approach criminal behavior.
The trend in violent offenses directs law enforcement to the need for better management skills of the same. Violent offences prove to have short term and long term impact on the victims and the immediate society. Due to the volatile nature of violent offenders, it is important to note the ease with which a criminal learns given relatable platforms. The individual is likely to feel the consideration arising from the assessment. Such consideration streamlines their thoughts and actions. After all, the main aim of assessment is to aid the correction of behavior and not to punish alone. In this way, the agenda of reformation becomes achievable and a reality in states where the most accurate results are attained. The risk assessment process must consider the nature of offense perpetrated by a criminal. In this manner, they are able to deal with specific motives triggered by different circumstances. The provocation that triggers a violent crime may be very different from one that leads to a sexual offense. For this reason, it is important to consider the unique assessment requirements of violent offenders (Yang, Wong & Coid, 2010).
The article states that in order to reduce the risk of violence, very specific factors ought to be considered. It means the use of instruments that are specifically tailored to determine the level of sensitiveness of potential violent criminals. The process then ought to undertake measures of intervention that aid the problem of violence amongst a criminal group. These are varying factors depending on the background of a criminal and the cause of his or her anger and tension that lead to violence. The article mentions a number of bodies such as the institute of mental health and Mc Arthur Foundation that contribute to the process of risk assessment. These institutes allow for the prediction of future behavior of criminals. The prediction in turn operates as means of establishing the relationship between mentally ailing offenders, sex offenders, and fire setters. They employ an appraisal guide for violence as a tool for determining criminals that are likely to be violent in the future. The article argues that the Violent Risk Assessment Guide, which operates over a period of 88 months, is the most efficient tool for cases of mental disorder. The tool considers a reasonable window of time within which it provides an almost perfect risk reduction tool (Heilbrun, 2007).
The article goes on to defend yet another contribution to the risk assessment agenda. In the second contribution, persons suffering mental disorders undergo treatment over time. The treatment involves anger management problems, social withdrawal, active psychotic symptoms, aggression, life skills deficit and substance abuse. Through this empirical approach, the chances of violence are lower after treatment even though they are not completely cured. Continued treatment is necessary for a successful reduction of risk in risk assessment. The treatment approach is reasonable where treatment program is developed with the aim of decreasing criminal activity arising from these symptoms. Furthermore, these symptoms are easy to diagnose following psychological analysis by analysts of human behavior. The approach is, therefore, practical even though it may at times lead to a sophisticated treatment plan being developed. This approach proves to be very effective the risk assessment and risk reduction. The article outlines that the approach is also efficient following that it derives its facts from the literature of violence. The fact that such information is available in another field encourages consistency of information and, therefore, the results (Heilbrun 2007).
Since the field of violence is general, the article suggests that application of its history in the process of risk assessment be designed to fit the interest of the approach. The main agenda is to ensure streamlining of treatment of violence to ensure that the risk assessment process can employ it in reducing criminal activity. In order to achieve such, the article suggests consideration of such factors as context, the integrity of treatment, efficacy and effectiveness design. Kirk Heilbrun describes the book Violent Offenders: Appraising and Managing Risks as one he would recommend for judges, attorneys and clinical administers who bear the risk of future criminal activity in the clients they encounter daily. The treatments designed in this instrument, the VRAG are relevant to the risk assessment process. They take into consideration the most important aspects of the risk assessment process. The VRAG tool is, however, useful along with other tools as interchanging these aspects provide more comprehensive results. Where the VRAG does not address a minor issue, the other tools such as the empirical treatment take the lead (Douglas & Skeem, 2005).
The two articles reviewed above illustrate the possibility of a peaceful and crime free society. In order to attain such a society, there has to be a contribution from every side of the community in every aspect. It means viewing crime as a serious problem. It means that crime is a matter of the past and the future. Crime is also the psychological issue that affects the society. It affects the economy and the society. The state of a nation is also affected since political enemies use crime as means to attack the nation. For this reason, the evaluation of crime and criminal activity ought to be addressed and with great precision. The past decade has proven that there is positive change brought about by the application of risk assessment. It follows that the rate of criminal activity fell by nine percent in the past year. Also, the use of tools implies that the trend will continue in the next years following the knowledge and application of the same to the society. Furthermore, reformed criminals do acknowledge the help arising from the process that made them better persons. Such was achieved through the provision of personal development programs incorporated in the approaches employed (Douglas & Skeem, 2005).
The matter of criminal risk assessment requires only the right tools and approach to sustaining a positive outcome. Since it is human behavior, then it is only right to conclude that it requires close observation, evaluation and reevaluation in order to sustain its performance. Correction of human behavior is a continuous matter following that the same evolves over time. Moreover, correcting criminal behavior allows for the creation of referrals that can be useful for future use. The simulation of the criminal mind is useful for the development of security technologies to be employed in the society. In this manner, society becomes more safe and stable. Criminal risk assessment also allows administrators to solve other associative problems such as child abuse and emotional instability. Such instability could have developed over time to become the final product that is a criminal. Risk assessment, therefore, solves more than just crime. It helps the society become better through solving grass root problems as a measure to avoid the mainstream ones. The problem of crime in the society is a creation of the society. It can therefore only be solved through the society. It is matters such as physical, verbal and sexual abuse that influence people at tender ages of their lives that cause the creation of criminal minds. Such a thought means that the process can be reversed if the root is traced back. The impact of an assessment only helps a situation whose depth can be understood. It means that different criminals suffer from varying extents of emotional damage that lead to their being violent.
Conclusively, criminal risk assessment is a crucial activity in the process of making the criminal justice system more effective. It seeks to better criminals so as to avoid a repetition of vices within the society. It is a positive process that aims at making every person in the society better than they were. Had the assessment not been introduced and integrated, then the society would have to deal with destructive forces that move from prison back to the society. These would evolve and overwhelm law enforcement. The role of criminal risk assessment, therefore, ought to be a priority in the process of budget allocation by authorities in order to ensure security for all. In order to attain the best results from risk assessment, it is important to bring together all resources available for the sake of security. Such resources involve clinical administrators, judges and attorneys for the sake of law and order. It is the role of law enforcement to ensure that the society is at its best in security. It is important to realize that the matter of security is an individual as it is a societal one. Therapists may encourage parents to observe their children for potential criminal risk in the event of juvenile cases. In this manner, these parents become a part of the cooperation between crime and its development (Bonta, 2002).
Bonta, J. (2002). Offender risk assessment guidelines for selection and use. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 29(4), 355-379.
Douglas, K. S., & Skeem, J. L. (2005). Violence risk assessment: getting specific about being dynamic. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 11(3), 347.
Wormith, J. S. (2006). The recent past and near future of risk and/or need assessment. Crime and delinquency, 52(1), 7.
Kirk Heilbrun (2007). Violent offenders: Appraising and managing risk. Washington DC.
Yang, M., Wong, S. C., & Coid, J. (2010). The efficacy of violence prediction: a meta-analytic comparison of nine risk assessment tools. Psychological bulletin, 136(5), 740