ABSTRACT
Merrington (Chapter 4) has given an overview of the development and use of a number of different assessment tools and helpfully highlighted the range of functions that we could reasonably expect such tools to perform. In contrast, this chapter focuses on the development and use of one particular tool, namely Asset, the assessment tool introduced for use in the reformed youth justice system. More generally, a number of the issues discussed will be relevant to the broader debate about the role of risk assessment tools in the development of evidence-based practice.
