ABSTRACT
The ability to identify early risk factors for antisocial behavior in children is one of the most important and difficult challenges in the fields of developmental criminology and mental health. It is also a necessary first step in assigning suitable interventions to minimize risk for these children. The Early Risk Assessment List (EARL) was the first gender specific psychosocial assessment framework for identifying and monitoring risk and need for children with antisocial behavior under age 12. Since the first iteration in 1998, a broad range of scientific studies have been conducted on the validity and applicability of the EARL across settings and cultures. This chapter provides readers with a history of the EARL, the structure and content of the assessment, a review of its reliability and validity, and how the tool may be used to inform risk management plans to reduce disruptive behavior and the risk of criminal involvement in young children. A case example is provided.
