Citation

Leach CL, Powell MB. Psychiatry Psychol. Law. 2020; 27(3): 428-440.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Law, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13218719.2020.1734982

PMID

33071550 PMCID

Abstract

When undertaking a forensic risk assessment with a young person, most evaluators complete an assessment interview to elicit autobiographical history as well as perspectives, thoughts and feelings about the individual's offending behaviour. While forensic risk assessment tools provide some suggestions on interview questions and techniques, there is no empirical research that explores the most effective strategies for eliciting detailed and reliable information in this context. This article reviews existing recommendations from the related fields of investigative interviewing and suicide risk assessment and integrates this with guidance from the forensic risk assessment literature to identify best practice recommendations for evaluators. It is hoped that this review will provide a starting point to explore how research from other fields may be integrated into risk assessment interviews to improve the quality and accuracy of forensic assessment.

Keywords: Juvenile justice

Language: en

Keywords

risk assessment; investigative interview; threat assessment; youth justice