Risk Assessments

Juveniles presenting delinquent behavior should be assessed for having the potential for developing a criminal record for themselves.  This could be done through a school, mental health agency, or through the court system, unfortunately.  The risk assessment is designed to locate areas of decay or areas that show underdevelopment and in need of focus and potential work.  The Missouri Juvenile Risk Assessment (MJRA) and the Washington State Risk Assessment (WSRA) are currently used by the juvenile court system.  The purpose of this paper is to evaluate Colleen M. and Xander L. using these two risk assessment tests.
 
Xander L. is 17 years old and has a long history of criminal activity ranging from drug possession, petty theft, and is now affiliated with a gang.  He quit school and currently lives with his mother.  He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon.  On the Missouri Risk Assessment, he scored in the high range.  Conclusively, on the WSRA, Xander L. also scored high with a 12 for criminal history and a 9 for social history risk. On the MJRA, he scored a 10.  Xander is reported to have been in a juvenile facility for at least a year, and he is currently being held in custody pending his trial.
   
Given the long history of criminal activity, it is obvious that what services and punishments have been used in the past have had absolutely no effect on Xander L.  It would be important in evaluating Xander L. to know if he has a learning disability.  This juvenile should be incarcerated until his 21st birthday, if his state allows it, otherwise he should be held until he is eighteen.  Xander L. should be sent to a boot camp program for six-months.  During this time, he can get his GED, counseling to help with his maladaptive behaviors against society, get him out of the gang, and teach him some respect for the law, his mother, and himself.
 
Colleen M. is a 15 year old girl who lives with her aunt because her mom is in rehab for drugs.  She was charged with involuntary manslaughter.  She has no criminal record, but admitted to running away.  She was a witness to a recent accidental homicide. The charge of involuntary manslaughter came as the result of an argument with her neighbor over an animal.  Her anger erupted into a rage and she threw a bucket of what she thought was water on the neighbor, but it was not water.  It was a chemical pesticide.  The neighbor died as a result.  Both of her scores on each test were in the moderate range.  The MJRA score was a 6.  The WSRA scores were a 6 for criminal history and a 6 in the social history risk.  Her anger is clearly an issue.
   
Colleen M.  does not have a record, but given the recent behavior and criminal charge, it would seem necessary to place her in a psychiatric facility for evaluation.  If there is evidence of a mental disorder, then the court should remand her to a mental hospital for juveniles for treatment for six months.  With her mom being away, aunt, running away, being part of the crime scene of an accidental homicide, taking the victims shoes, possible drug use, and other self-destructive behaviors it would indicate that there is a mental illness where Colleen M. is concerned.
   
Both of the juveniles have very different situations, but nonetheless, their criminal behavior must be addressed in order to remedy the problem.  The risk assessments performed on each juvenile are important tests used in the juvenile justice system as a way to predict and stop future criminal activity before it has a chance to fester and be unleashed onto society.  The only improvement that could help these two tests might be to include a question section for the parent, parents, or caregivers since they have the most day-to-day interaction with the juveniles.

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