Published on: Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Risk assessment tools are now used pervasively throughout the criminal legal system. They are deployed in various jurisdictions at virtually every stage, including pretrial release, charging decisions, plea bargaining, sentencing, conditions of probation and parole, suitability for early release, as well as determinations related to sexual offender registration, civil commitment, and revocation of parole or probation. Recognizing the profound implications of reliance upon these tools, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Task Force on Risk Assessment Tools commissioned Dr. Melissa Hamilton to produce a comprehensive analysis of how these tools are developed and applied. 

Dr. Hamilton's 132-page report is titled Risk Assessment Tools in the Criminal Legal System - Theory and Practice: A Resource Guide.

This report provides an in-depth and accessible resource for practitioners, policymakers, advocates, and indeed all system actors in the nation’s criminal legal apparatus. It is designed to provide the information and guidance necessary to properly assess various risk assessment tools.