30 Hours / 30 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on the Evaluation of Risk for Sexual Violence using the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP) and the Sexual Violence Risk-20 Version 2 (SVR-20 V2) is presented by Stephen D. Hart, Ph.D., in partnership with Protect International Risk and Safety Services.

Sexual violence—and, in particular, the diversity of both sexual violence and the people who commit sexual violence—presents tremendous challenges for professionals responsible for assessment and treatment. Actuarial risk assessment methods, which focus on identifying risk levels based on statistical profiles, do little to help identify critical risk factors or develop management plans in a given case. In this program, Dr. Hart discusses the use of structured professional judgment (SPJ) guidelines in sexual violence risk assessment. He begins by reviewing the SPJ approach, highlighting its potential strengths in developing case formulations and management plans. Next, he describes two sets of SPJ guidelines —the Sexual Violence Risk-20 Version 2 (SVR-20 V2) and the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP) —and their administrative procedures, focusing on their application to developing formulations (case conceptualizations) and management plans. Finally, participants practice administering the SVR-20 V2 and RSVP in two case studies.


Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the SPJ approach to violence risk assessment
  • 2 Describe the diversity of sexual violence
  • 3 Describe the challenges professionals face during assessment and treatment
  • 4 Describe the risk levels based on statistical profiles
  • 5 Describe the administration procedures for the SVR-20 V2 and RSVP
  • 6 Describe the use of the RSVP for developing case conceptualizations and management plans
  • 7 Describe the SVR-20 V2 and RSVP through case studies
  • 8 Demonstrate administration of the SVR-20 V2 and RSVP
  • 9 Describe key constructs of psychopathology relevant to sexual violence risk assessment in forensic and correctional settings.
  • 10 Describe how motivators, disinhibitors, and destabilizers influence decisions to commit sexual violence.
  • 11 Describe the limitations of actuarial approaches for assessing sexual violence risk.
  • 12 Describe the structure, domains, and basic risk factors of the SVR-20 Version 2.
  • 13 Describe the structure, domains, and basic risk factors of the RSVP.
  • 14 Describe the steps involved in rating the presence, timeframe, and relevance of risk factors in the SVR-20 V2 and RSVP.
  • 15 Describe the process and goals of scenario planning in sexual violence risk assessment.
  • 16 Describe strategies for integrating case-specific information into formulations and management plans using SPJ guidelines.
Presented By

Stephen D. Hart, PhD

Dr. Stephen D. Hart obtained BA, MA, and Ph.D. degrees in psychology at the University of British Columbia. He has been on faculty in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University since 1990 and has held the rank of Professor since 2001. He also served as a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway between 2000 and 2021. His expertise is in the field of clinical-forensic psychology, with a special focus on the assessment of violence risk and psychopathic personality disorder. He has co-authored more than 250 books, chapters, and articles. He has served as editor of two scientific journals, a member of the editorial board of eight journals, and an ad hoc reviewer for more than 40 journals. He has served as an executive committee member of several professional organizations, including the President of the American Psychology-Law Society and the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services. He has received various distinctions for his professional work, including the Career Achievement Award from the Society of Clinical Psychology, the Saleem Shah Award for Early Career Research Excellence in Psychology and Law from the American Psychology-Law Society and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. He maintains an active practice in violence risk assessment. He has consulted with government agencies from more than 25 countries; led more than 500 training workshops around the world; and given expert evidence before courts, tribunals, inquests, review boards, and parliamentary committees in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.


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  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for professionals involved in or interested in sexual violence risk assessment and management using structured professional judgment (SPJ) tools such as the SVR-20 V2 and RSVP. It is relevant for those who specialize in assessing and managing sexual violence risk, developing case formulations, and creating management plans using SPJ guidelines.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Mental health professionals (e.g., psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, social workers)
    • Health care providers
    • Criminal justice professionals (e.g., probation, parole, law enforcement)
    • Victim services staff
    • Security personnel
    • Social service workers
    • Education professionals
    • Human resources professionals
    • Anyone interested in or considering implementing the SVR-20 V2 or RSVP in their practice

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with sexual violence risk assessment and structured professional judgment (SPJ) guidelines.

    • Beginner: Participants new to sexual violence risk assessment or unfamiliar with SPJ guidelines will gain foundational knowledge of the diversity of sexual violence, challenges in assessment, and the basics of SVR-20 V2 and RSVP administration.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in violence risk assessment will deepen their understanding of SPJ approaches, enhance their skills in case formulation and management planning, and practice applying SVR-20 V2 and RSVP through case studies.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who participate in this training typically work in environments where assessing and managing the risk of sexual violence is a core responsibility. These settings often involve multidisciplinary teams and require collaboration across mental health, criminal justice, healthcare, and social service sectors. Practitioners are often tasked with evaluating individuals who may pose a risk of sexual violence, developing case formulations, and creating management or intervention plans tailored to specific cases. The work is complex, requiring sensitivity to diverse populations and the ability to apply structured professional judgment tools in real-world scenarios.

    Examples of Practice Settings

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals or secure mental health units
    • Correctional institutions (prisons, jails, youth detention centers)
    • Community-based probation or parole offices
    • Police or law enforcement agencies
    • Sexual assault or victim advocacy centers
    • School counseling or student support services
    • Hospital emergency departments or general healthcare settings
    • Social service agencies working with at-risk populations
    • Corporate or institutional human resources departments
    • Private practice specializing in forensic assessment or consultation
We are proud to partner with

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

We are proud to partner with Protect International Risk and Safety Services for this training. Protect International's threat assessment professionals are internationally recognized experts that have developed some of the world's most widely used and best-validated threat assessment tools. Protect International provides services and products related to violence risk assessment and management, also known as threat assessment and management. Protect International services and products include threat assessment training and support, case assessment and management, legal consultation, policy review and development, and program evaluation and research; along with threat assessment manuals, worksheets, licenses, and software applications for those tools.

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).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

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), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #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. Palo Alto University 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. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), 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. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by 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.