A Comparative Study of the Use and Effectiveness of Different Risk Assessment Models in CPS Decision Making Processes

Three risk assessment models will be evaluated, using data collected on cases from three sites. In addition to the primary study of objectives of assessing reliability and validity of existing risk assessment models, the researchers will use the data collected to develop the optimal risk instrument for each site and for all sites combined. Investigators will use statistical analyses to determine the influence of various agency and worker factors on outcomes. Cultural differences will be given special emphasis. Sites will be chosen to ensure numbers sufficient to analyze system model performance with African Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians. Researchers will make an effort to obtain a significant American Indian population.