PubMed · 1991 · 167 citations · 0 references
Social SciencesCriminologyChild PolicyChild WelfareRisk AssessmentChild AbuseChild MaltreatmentChild Maltreatment PreventionChild NeglectChild ProtectionChild Protection LawChild Protection EvaluationChild Protection SupervisionChild Safety PolicyChild Welfare InvestigationRisk Assessment In DecisionsRisk Factors For MaltreatmentRisk Of AbuseRisk Of Neglect
This article reviews the risk assessment procedures and instruments that are being used by child protection agencies. Although supportive of the concept of risk assessment, the authors argue that all current instruments have major methodological deficiencies that limit the utility of such instruments as a means of predicting future abusive or neglectful behavior. The authors suggest how risk assessment decisions should be made at each stage of a child protection investigation.