Psychologists and other mental health professionals are regularly called upon to assess the risk of future violence among children and adolescents. Conceptual changes in the process of risk assessment and empirical advances in the epidemiology of violence and aggression among youth have combined to create a strong research-based foundation for clinical practice. This article describes the task of assessing general violence risk among youth and argues that a different approach is required to assess cases in which an identified or identifiable young person may pose a risk to a specifically identified or identifiable target. The article reviews some of the key risk factors for violent behavior among children and adolescents, outlines some fundamental principles for conducting an assessment of violence potential in clinical and juvenile justice contexts, and describes an approach to assessment when an identified person engages in some communication or behavior of concern that brings him or her to official attention. Clinicians must recognize the contextual demands of different risk assessment tasks and commit to using the best available information and method to enhance the validity and utility of violence risk assessment for youth. References