Some actuarial-based tools are used to classify offenders into
levels of risk (e.g., low, medium, and high) and to identify and
target interventions to address offender needs (e.g., antisocial
attitudes, antisocial peer groups) generally related to
recidivism.
The hallmark of actuarial based tools is that,it is based on
the information available to them,evaluators make an ultimate
decision according to fixed and explicit rules.
It is a mechanical and algorithmic approach because empirical
data on violence is coded in a pre determined manner.
Limitations:-
They tend to focus on evaluation on a small number of risk
factors that are thought predict violence across individuals and
settings,thus ignoring factors that may be important but
idiosyncratic to the study at hand.
They tend to focus attention on relatively static or stable
features of individuals,such as demographics,and criminal
history.As a result,actuarial assessments are often passive
predictions of limited practical use.
Especially when their construction is based on empirical
research,actuarial instruments may include risk factors that are
unacceptable on legal grounds e.g;sex,race etc. and exclude factors
that are entirely logical but of unknown validity e.g;threats of
violence.
Unless evaluators are sufficiently schooled in psychometric
theory to have a healthy respect for test data,professionals may
tend to grossly under or over utilise actuarial test findings when
making decisions about individuals.