How is the PSA different than other risk assessments?

The PSA is different from other pretrial assessments in many ways:

• It is provided at no cost.
• It is transparent: the factors and algorithm are publicly available.
• It uses only data that is captured in administrative data systems, such as a person’s age and criminal history; it doesn’t require an interview.
• It requires jurisdictions to develop related policy frameworks that reflect local laws, court rules, and policy preferences. These local policies help judicial officers connect a person’s PSA scores with an appropriate level of support and services (if deemed necessary) to help them succeed on pretrial release.
• It is undergoing constant research and validation nationwide.

Use the Stanford Law School Policy Lab’s Risk Assessment Factsheets to compare the PSA to other pretrial assessments.