Risk Assessments
Risk Assessments in California
Risk assessment evaluations help courts, attorneys, and agencies understand the likelihood of future violence, recidivism, or other concerning behavior. These evaluations rely on structured, evidence-based methods to provide clear, defensible opinions about a person’s risk level, contributing factors, and the interventions most likely to reduce that risk.
Types of Risk Assessments
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Violence risk assessments evaluate the likelihood that an individual may engage in future physical aggression or violent behavior. These evaluations consider historical factors (such as prior violence), current mental health symptoms, personality traits, situational triggers, and environmental stressors. Using validated instruments and structured professional judgment models, we determine risk level, identify dynamic risk factors that can change over time, and highlight protective factors that may reduce risk. Recommendations may include treatment needs, supervision conditions, and appropriate risk-management strategies.
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Sexual violence risk assessments examine the probability of future sexually harmful behavior. These evaluations incorporate specialized tools designed for sexual offense risk. We assess both static (unchangeable) and dynamic (changeable) risk factors to form a comprehensive risk formulation. Clear treatment and supervision recommendations are provided to support risk management planning.
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Domestic violence risk assessments evaluate the likelihood of future aggression toward intimate partners or family members. These evaluations examine relationship dynamics, issues such as jealousy and control dynamics, substance use, past incidents, mental health concerns, substance use, and situational variables that contribute to conflict or escalation. Validated tools specific to intimate partner violence are used to determine risk level and intervention needs. Recommendations focus on treatment, monitoring, and strategies that enhance safety for all involved.
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Fire-setting risk assessments evaluate the likelihood of future fire-setting behavior and the psychological factors that contributed to the incident. These evaluations explore motivations such as impulsivity, emotional distress, trauma, thrill-seeking, or impaired judgment. We also identify the fire-setting typology, which helps determine risk, treatment needs, and supervision recommendations.
Common fire-setting typologies include:
Curiosity/Experimentation: fascination with fire or limited understanding of consequences.
Emotional Distress/Cry for Help: fire used to communicate overwhelm or trauma.
Anger/Revenge-Motivated: fire-setting in response to conflict or perceived injustice.
Thrill-Seeking: driven by excitement, risk-taking, or stimulation.
Criminal/Instrumental: set to conceal a crime, retaliate, or achieve a goal.
Psychiatric/Impaired Judgment: driven by delusions, hallucinations, mania, or cognitive impairment.
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Suicide and self-harm risk assessments evaluate the likelihood of an individual engaging in self-injurious or suicidal behavior. We assess current mental health symptoms, past attempts, coping skills, impulsivity, trauma history, substance use, and protective factors such as social support and treatment engagement.
As part of the evaluation, we administer the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), a highly valid and widely used instrument for assessing suicide risk. The C-SSRS provides a structured, evidence-based approach to evaluating suicidal ideation, intent, behaviors, and acute warning signs.
Findings include a clear risk classification with practical recommendations for safety planning, stabilization, and ongoing clinical care.
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Workplace and campus violence risk assessments examine the likelihood of targeted aggression, threats, disruptive behavior, or safety concerns in occupational or academic settings. These evaluations involve a structured review of concerning behaviors, mental health functioning, stressors, interpersonal dynamics, access to potential targets, and organizational factors. Using established threat-assessment frameworks, we provide a clear understanding of risk level, early warning signs, and practical recommendations for risk mitigation, monitoring, and intervention.
Our evaluation process:
Close consultation with attorneys
Virtual or in-person clinical-forensic interview
Review of legal, medical, and other relevant records
Psychological testing when necessary
Collateral interviews with family, friends, treatment providers
Use of a formal risk assessment instrument specific to the risk being evaluated
A comprehensive, defensible report with treatment recommendations
Expert witness testimony, if requested
The Elara approach
Our expert forensic psychologists have years of experience evaluating and diagnosing mental health disorders and applying clinical concepts to legal issues. Together, we have evaluated thousands of individuals who have been arrested and charged with various offenses. We approach every case with objectivity, thoroughness, and compassion toward all examinees, no matter their allegations.