Informal Assessment: Direct and Indirect Procedures

When it comes to informal assessment, both direct and indirect procedures are essential for understanding what drives an individual's criminal behavior. 

What is Informal Assessment?
Direct and indirect procedures are two types of informal assessment designed to uncover the motives of a violent criminal. A direct informal assessment involves asking the violent offender a series of questions to gain a greater understanding of his or her psychology. Informal assessment is the process of interviewing those who know the offender and may be able to furnish illuminating informaton about him or her.

Roy Hazelwood and Dick Ault, of the FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, were the experts that developed the first indirect personality assessment questionnaire. Both are now retired from the FBI, and provide their expertise to the Academy Group, Hazelwood as a Vice President and Ault as a practitioner.

Informal assessment, both direct and indirect procedures, are covered in the Academy Group's course "A Study of Followers: Interpersonal Stalkers."� In addition to informal assessment, direct and indirect procedures, attendees will learn about types of stalkers, types of personality disorders, how to deal with stalking victims, case studies, and much more. 

Informal assessment, direct and indirect procedures, are also covered in the Academy Group's Threat Analysis Seminar, along with understanding abnormal and criminal psychology, defusing angry and hostile subjects, interviewing mentally disordered subjects, and other topics. 

Just as important as tracking down the offender is assessing his or her motives and psychology to discover the intent. Through the direct and indirect procedures of an informal assessment, the pathological criminal can be tried and sentenced adequately in court and removed from the community.