Risk Assessment Orders

In cases where the Judge makes a Risk Assessment Order, a Risk Assessment Report (RAR) will be completed by an RMA Accredited Risk Assessor. The RAR is a report on the risk the offender being at liberty presents to the safety of the public. In preparing the RAR the assessor is required to have regard to the RMA Standards and Guidelines for Risk Assessment.

The following is the RMA Standard Statement for Risk Assessment:-

Risk assessment will involve the identification of key pieces of information, analysis of their meaning in the time and context of the assessment, and evaluation against the appropriate criteria. Risk assessment will be based on a wide range of available information, gathered from a variety of sources. Risk assessment will be conducted in an evidence-based, structured manner, incorporating appropriate tools and professional decision making, acknowledging any limitations of the assessment. Risk assessment will be communicated responsibly to ensure that the findings of the assessment can be meaningfully understood and inform decision-making. Risk will be communicated in terms of the pattern, nature, seriousness and likelihood of offending.

An assessment underpinning a risk management plan will evidence:

a thorough review and evaluation of information gathered from interviews, file reading, chronologies, multi-disciplinary discussion and collateral sources
the use of appropriate risk assessment tools to provide a sound empirical basis for the identification of risk and protective factors
detailed analysis of past and current offending in terms of its pattern, nature, seriousness and likelihood
an offence analysis that examines how, why and when offending occurs and begins to identify the relevance of risk and protective factors in episodes of offending
a formulation of risk that offers an understanding of the interaction and respective role of risk and protective factors in an episode of offending, and helps to identify triggers and early warning signs which may assist in recognising and responding to imminence
an evaluation of the current level of risk of serious harm
recognition of the limitations of the risk assessment and identification of any case specific issues that may extend beyond the boundaries of professional training, qualification and expertise