Forensic Risk Assessment or Forensic Mental Health Assessment are likely the kinds of terms that conjure up all sorts of images. Maybe Hannibal Lector adorned in his straight jacket or another cold-blooded serial killer trying to get out of jail. Fortunately, this is rarely the case.
The reality is that these types of assessments are of little excitement. Still, they can often offer everyday people great benefits in all kinds of everyday situations. Ever made a mistake? Maybe when you were younger or even more recently? We all make mistakes in our lives, and many different things contributed to our choices, which is why risk assessments are so useful. They offer the chance to lay everything out so that you get a fair shake instead of being judged on the face of your behaviors.
Many people are concerned about the process, and understandably so. Like with the topic title, it’s hard not to carried away with thoughts of the worst-case scenario, even though this often tends not to be the reality. Typically speaking, these assessments start with something called a psycho-social review – which is just a fancy way to say, “Tell me the story of your life.” You will be asked to talk about what your life was like growing up, who was important to you, the things you remember most. You will talk about your life in general, focusing on what school was like for you, when you started working, your friends and romantic partners. The whole point is really to show who you are as a person throughout your life.
After your interview is done, the person who is doing an assessment should be using special assessment tools. These tools help to understand the different factors that contributed to the behaviors that got you in trouble. These tools are called risk measures. When combined with the story of your life, these measures do a couple of things. They help identify the factors that played a role in your behavior, tell whether these factors are still present, and anything that needs to be done to address these things. A good assessment should also not be one-sided or focus only on the problem. It should highlight your strengths and successes – remember the goal is to be objective and accurate. An assessment should show all the sides of a situation and person.
Many people’s consequences for their actions tend to be based more on the ideas people have about those behaviors rather than the facts. These risk measures and your story help restore the facts of a situation and remove any one person or systems biases. They also offer useful suggestions regarding what can be done to manage anyone’s concerns about future problematic behavior. The ability to provide recommendations to address concerns is beneficial because it allows you to prove your investment in overcoming the way you might have been viewed or treated due to a mistake or series of bad choices.
An important consideration when looking into these types of assessments is the intended purpose and how the costs will be covered. These assessments are typically ordered by the court and are called pre-sentence risk assessments; these come after a person has been labeled guilty. In this case, these are intended to help the court decide how to sentence a person. Typically, this is the only time you will find that the government will cover the cost.
Why should I consider a risk assessment? There are several situations when these assessments are useful. Still, perhaps due to the limited availability of public information, they do not get talked about as much. Everyday people can privately obtain risk assessments with or without legal counsel (although it is always a good idea to speak with your lawyer first.) When obtained privately, one way a risk assessment can be used is to support your lawyer’s efforts to negotiate a Peace Bond on your behalf. A peace bond is when you take responsibility for your actions and follow through with conditions similar to a probation order. Upon your successful completion of this order, you do not receive a criminal record. These can also be used well in advance of a trial by identifying the things the court may be concerned about and allowing you to get to counseling addressing these matters which can demonstrate your pro-social efforts.
These are all well and good, but you may have noticed they are only applicable if you currently find yourself in trouble. What about after the fact? Many people have left their problematic behaviors in the past only to find that the consequences have a way of hanging around. Removal orders from Canada, criminal records impacting job opportunities or the ability to return to work, travel restrictions barring entry to other countries – these are all the long-term consequences that many people deal with. Ideal situations for you to consider obtaining a private risk assessment or speaking with your legal counsel about government-funded options include challenging removal orders, applying for customs entry waivers, criminal record suspension applications (formerly pardons), and challenging the decisions of licensing bodies.
Regardless of your use and purpose, the hope is that you have as much knowledge about these assessments as possible and feel empowered to ask questions of the person doing it. Make sure they are using valid risk assessment measures by asking which ones they use and why. Speak with your legal counsel about if an assessment could be useful for you.
ITS has a proven track record of success in providing forensic risk assessment and partnering with leaders in the field. We are always happy to have a quick chat with you to discuss any questions, including the associated costs. We strive to make what can be a scary and uncomfortable experience and make it personal and relaxed. Please get in touch if you have found this topic useful and think an assessment might support your success.