SARA
Definition
Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (1994, updated 2008): 20-item SPJ tool specifically developed for intimate partner violence risk assessment, producing Low/Moderate/High categorical ratings.
- Full name
- Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide
- Updated
- 1994, revised 2008
- Item count
- 20
- Approach
- Structured Professional Judgment (SPJ)
- Output
- Low, Moderate, High categorical rating
Common questions
Why was SARA developed as a distinct tool rather than using a general violence risk instrument?+
Intimate partner violence has risk factors and dynamics, such as relationship-specific escalation patterns and prior domestic incidents, that differ from general violence risk, so SARA was built with items targeted specifically to that context.
What changed between the 1994 version and the 2008 update?+
The 2008 revision refined the item set and scoring guidance based on accumulated research and field use since the original publication, though the core 20-item structured professional judgment approach was retained.
How is a SARA categorical rating typically used in a legal or protective context?+
A Low, Moderate, or High rating informs decisions such as bail conditions, protective orders, or safety planning, though the categorical output is meant to support rather than replace the evaluator's fuller narrative risk formulation.
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