Assessment and management of the risk of criminal recidivism in juvenile offenders: A review of instruments

Abstract

Both theoretical and methodological approaches were gathered based on the risk assessment and management of criminal recidivism among young offenders. A systematic review of the instruments most often used to assess and manage the risk of recidivism was carried out. PsycINFO and Google Scholar were used as databases. The instruments chosen were based on adequate levels of predictive validity and those whose aspects were relevant. Fifteen instruments were found: three actuarial scales –JSORRAT-II, Static-99, and PCL-YV– and twelve structured clinical judgment measures –YLS/CMI, SAVRY, SIED-AJ, EARL-20B, EARL-21G, J-SOAP-II, ERASOR 2.0, MEGA, Asset, ARMIDILO-S, DASH-13, and PREVI-A. There is a great variability in the results found in terms of predictive validity when different studies with the same tool are compared. The adequacy of an instrument to the judicial context must be based on values of predictive validity (AUC) between .70-.75.