Statistically based risk assessment devices are widely used in criminal justice settings. Their promise remains largely unfulfilled, however, because assumptions and premises requisite to their development and application are routinely ignored and/or violated. This article provides a brief review of the most salient of these assumptions and premises, addressing the base rate and selection ratios, methods of combining predictor variables and the nature of criterion variables chosen, cross-validation, replicability, and generalizability. The article also discusses decision makers' choices to add or delete items from the instruments and suggests recommendations for policy makers to consider when adopting risk assessments. Suggestions for improved practice, practical and methodological, are made.

This study determines the influence of domestic violence batterer treatment on the recidivism rate of domestic violence offenders and certain demographic characteristics associated with recidivism. The study population (N = 248) consisted of male domestic violence offenders sentenced to Community Corrections Services in Chesterfield County, Virginia, between January and December 1999. This analysis revealed treatment does not affect recidivism; however, the number of treatment sessions attended was an important factor in predicting domestic violence recidivism in the treatment group, and successful completion of all treatment sessions reduces the likelihood of domestic violence rearrest and reconviction among those who received treatment. The treatment provider in this sample did not affect recidivism.

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In this exploratory study, the authors examined perceived fear and risk of victimization among juvenile correctional officers at two juvenile detention centers in Virginia. Expanding on previous work, four scales were created to measure fear of victimization and risk of victimization at individual and collective levels. Our analyses revealed no difference in fear or risk of victimization levels among the juvenile correctional officers based on the type of correctional facility; however, gender was found to be statistically significant in all models. Female officers were more likely to have a higher level of perceived fear and risk of victimization at the individual and collective levels than were male officers. Race and education were also found to be significant factors in one model, perceived risk of victimization at the individual level.