Formal Forensic violence or sex offending risk assessments can help to identify violence or sexual offending risk factors and recidivism rates or likelihood to offend or reoffend. While assessments can vary from individual to individual, most times they include testing, interviews, observation, and consultation with one of Insight’s trained professionals.
What is a forensic violence or sexual offending risk assessment?
Forensic assessments represent the relationship between psychology and law. In many cases, psychologists are called upon to render their expert opinion needed for legal determination. Psychological testing provides a needed level of objectivity and accuracy to obtain fair and just legal decisions in court.
Why is the assessment used?
Mostly, these are forensic– meaning they are court related or court mandated. Usually these are ordered by a judge, recommended by a lawyer, or less commonly are taken by any individual who is concerned about their risk of violence or sexual offenses. Violence and sex offending risk assessments are used to determine whether an individual is predicted to be at high, medium, or low risk for offending or re-offending. These are two separate assessments but can be, and often are, performed together.
At Insight, our therapists are court experienced and have a solid background in providing high quality assessment services for legal requirements.
The assessment process
An Insight assessor will do a professional assessment through a forensic lens and determine the best course of action. Objective testing provides the needed level of objectivity and accuracy to obtain fair and just legal decisions in court as well as effective treatment planning.
There are several methods used alone or in combination for these assessments including:
- Standard interviewing of the client
- Background information review
- Reviewing court documents
- Talking with references
- Psychological tests
- Questionnaires
- In-person testing
- Other tests as determined by the psychologist (for example, intelligence tests)
Depending on the methods used, the amount of time for these assessments to be completed can vary. In general, the process from start to finish is about 10-15 hours and involves the client for about 3-7 of those hours.
If this assessment is ordered by the court, then the report will be sent to the lawyers and/or judge. If it’s ordered by an individual, then the results will be shared with you and/or your lawyer.
To learn more about booking a sex offending and violence risk assessment, please call 780-461-1717. We recognize that each individual has different needs and our intake and admin specialists will be able to provide you with an estimated quote and timeline for your assessment.
