Risk assessment has been part of decisionmaking in child protective services since the field began. The goals of risk assessment vary according to whether the user is a researcher, agency administrator, or caseworker. Three crucial purposes are prediction/classification, decisionmaking, and resource management. The basic focus of risk assessment is usually on the probability that child maltreatment will recur. Approaches include empirically based models, consensus-based models, and blended consensus/empirical models. Training is crucial to the implementation of risk assessment and its integration into an existing practice model. Evaluation focuses on the instrument itself and on its implementation. Research is needed regarding goals and purposes, implementation, and effective leverage points for controlling resources in child protective services. 47 references