6 Hours / 6 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on the Assessment of Risk for Violence in Juveniles is presented by Debra Beader, Ph.D., in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

The assessment of risk for violence in juveniles is pertinent for many court proceedings, including transfer to the adult criminal justice system. This program includes an examination of relevant case law, risk assessment measures, best practices in evaluation procedures, and communication of data and opinions to judges, attorneys, and probation officers. Related topics (e.g., psychopathy, treatment amenability, and risk management programming) are addressed as well, as are issues related to adolescents’ biological, psychological, and social development.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe how the Juvenile Justice System has evolved in general and specifically regarding risk assessment
  • 2 Describe pathways to normative and non-normative adolescent development
  • 3 Describe the key elements of the Risk/Needs/Responsivity Principle
  • 4 Describe salient risk and protective factors for juveniles
  • 5 Describe how age, gender, culture, and ethnicity inform risk assessments and risk-related judicial decision-making
  • 6 Describe key elements of the assessment and report-writing process

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for mental health professionals who work with adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system, with a focus on those specializing in juvenile forensic assessment and intervention.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Professionals specializing in juvenile forensic assessment and intervention

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

    • Beginner: Participants new to juvenile justice or forensic assessment, seeking foundational knowledge of risk assessment measures, relevant case law, and best practices in evaluation and report writing.
    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in juvenile forensic work, looking to deepen their understanding of complex risk and protective factors, the Risk/Needs/Responsivity Principle, and the impact of developmental, cultural, and demographic variables on assessment and judicial decision-making.
    • Advanced: Participants with extensive experience in forensic mental health, aiming to refine advanced skills in integrating nuanced clinical data, addressing specialized topics (e.g., psychopathy, treatment amenability), and providing expert communication to legal professionals.

  • Practice Setting

    Mental health professionals specializing in juvenile forensic assessment and intervention typically work in environments where legal and clinical systems intersect. These settings require collaboration with courts, probation departments, detention centers, and community-based programs. Professionals conduct evaluations, provide treatment recommendations, and communicate findings to legal stakeholders, often working with adolescents who have complex psychosocial and legal needs. The work environment is multidisciplinary, fast-paced, and requires sensitivity to both clinical and legal standards.

    • Juvenile detention centers or correctional facilities
    • Court clinics or forensic assessment units
    • Community mental health agencies serving court-involved youth
    • Private practices specializing in forensic evaluation
    • Hospitals or psychiatric units with forensic adolescent services
    • Probation departments or diversion programs
    • Government agencies (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice)
    • Academic or research institutions focusing on juvenile justice issues

Presented By

Debra Baeder, PhD, Chief Forensic Psychologist for the State Forensic Service in Maine

Dr. Debra Baeder is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. She is the Chief Forensic Psychologist for the State Forensic Service in Maine. Her responsibilities are the evaluations of adult defendants on issues of competence and criminal responsibility, presentence evaluations, and evaluations of insanity acquittees who have petitioned the Court. She also coordinates the juvenile evaluation program for the State Forensic Service. In that capacity, she conducts pre-adjudicatory, pre-dispositional, adjudicative competence, and bindover evaluations. She consults with and trains other examiners contracted with the State Forensic Service, trains psychiatric residents at the Maine Medical Center, and works on relevant legislative issues. Dr. Baeder also provides workshops on juvenile forensic topics in Maine and nationally.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Debra Baeder, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • An examination of relevant case law

  • Risk assessment measures

  • Best practice in evaluation procedures

  • Communication of data and opinions to judges, attorneys, and probation officers

We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.