This article offers an overview of the development of risk assessment
and its purpose and goals, a summary of research on risk assessment to
date, and suggestions regarding future research. This overview indica
tes that the use of risk assessment is a widespread phenomenon, with d
iffering goals and purposes. Research on risk assessment confirms the
lack of conceptual clarity and the difficulty of incorporating it into
a child protective services system that emphasizes findings of abuse
and/or neglect as the key to continuing involvement in the system.