High-quality assessment in youth justice is the keystone to achieving effective interventions for children and young people and it underpins risk management. The extensive experience of the authors in assessment and management of risk indicate this work must be taken seriously.
Containing a broad discussion and critique of the "risk factor paradigm", this book is intended to contribute to practice. It links, in a very readable manner, practice with theory and research. Throughout the text, there are techniques for the practitioner to structure their assessments, and reflective prompts and activities, which results in a highly accessible work helpful to those coming into practice and those who are more experienced.
The book covers concepts such as assessment seen as essentially a "human activity"; the acceptance that assessment skills are slowly acquired through training and experience; the importance of child development as a vital part of the knowledge base; and supervision as providing a safe environment to build competence.
I wish this work had been available 10 years ago, to counterbalance the emphasis on process and inform the assessments of children and young people throughout the life of youth offending teams.
Spike Cadman, senior policy development officer, Nacro
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