Young high risk forensic populations

This chapter provides an overview of assessment and treatment approaches with young, high risk, forensic populations and places emphases on violent youth – those who commit serious offences such as assaults, robberies, weapons-related offences – and the intersection of research and clinical practice as applied to this population. It elaborates upon the linkages between assessment, treatment planning, and risk management within the context of the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model of human service delivery. Specialised tools designed specifically to assess violence risk in young people and to identify targets for violence reduction interventions include the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) and the Violence Risk Scale-Youth Version (VRS-YV). Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) has been adapted for youth who have difficulty controlling their emotions, including violence-prone juvenile offenders living in residential settings. The chapter concludes by identifying clinical areas for further development (e.g., protective factors, clinically significant change) and recommendations for potential applications of research to practice.