Challenges for the theory and application of dynamic risk factors

The inclusion of dynamic factors in risk assessment measures used with forensic populations largely been considered an improvement in both the accuracy and utility of these in informing treatment and sentencing. However, there are important challenges with the current approach to the conceptualisation, identification, and use of factors in risk assessment. Whereas some of these challenges relate to applied (such as the use of measures with different offender populations), there are also questions regarding the construct validity of dynamic risk measures and the strategies used to identify them. More emphasis on theoretically-driven is needed, to identify causal and explanatory relationships between dynamic risk and recidivism. We hope that highlighting these challenges can help to build a on a future research agenda for dynamic risk factors.