Risk assessment in criminology: The science behind the principle of «never too early, never too late» to assess risk and intervene.

Risk assessment permeates our daily lives, guiding the decisions we make as criminologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. However, it has been heavily criticised and ambivalently received in the context of criminal justice. This special issue focuses on discussing the importance of risk assessment as a practice that enables intervention by identifying valuable resources and opportunities to counteract crime and promote prosocial action. David P. Farrington’s research legacy has always centred on the extent to which criminal behaviour can be reliably predicted, depending on the different levels of risk posed by offenders (risk principle) and their criminal careers, which are intertwined with the protective factors that cushion them. The assessment of risk alone is insufficient if it is not combined with an understanding of the criminogenic needs that characterise the person’s psychosocial reality and functioning (need principle). Only then can an intervention be successfully planned (responsivity principle). The articles in this special issue represent an international effort to highlight the science and practice of risk assessment by examining the various settings in which it is applied, using different methods and tools.