The term SARATSO refers to State authorized risk assessment tools used for evaluating sex offenders.  Senate Bill 1128, Alquist (Chapter 337, Statutes of 2006) established the state committee, known as the SARATSO (State Authorized Risk Assessment Tool for Sex Offenders) Review Committee, to consider the selection of the risk assessment tools for California. 

The Static-99 is the instrument that is currently in use by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to designate a parolee as a High Risk Sex Offender (HRSO).  This instrument has become the only statewide risk assessment tool for adult males, which is mandated to be used by CDCR to assess every eligible inmate prior to parole and every eligible inmate on parole. The Static-99 is a research derived actuarial risk assessment tool designed to predict sexual recidivism. 

The JSORRAT-II was developed using an actuarial approach in an attempt to bring greater accuracy and utility to risk assessments for male juveniles who have offended sexually, recognizing the potential for accurate risk assessment to inform a range of decisions, including placement, programming, supervision, and other resource allocation decisions.

The JSORRAT-II is a 12-item actuarial risk assessment tool initially developed for Utah Juvenile Justice Services to provide empirically-based estimates of risk for future juvenile sexual offending by male juveniles in the juvenile justice system for prior sexual offenses.

On July 1, 2008 the JSORRAT-II is further mandated for use by the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to assess every eligible individual prior to release. (Pen. Code, 290.06).

Please feel free to direct any questions or concerns to the Department of Mental Health staff representative to the SARATSO Committee, Staff Services Analyst, Christian Jones, at (916) 651-1440 or by e-mail at Christian.Jones@dmh.ca.gov.

The SARATSO Review Committee has heard testimony from several experts who have authored risk assessment tools, the public, and many stakeholders in the field of risk assessment. The Review Committee has considered all testimony and reviewed the presentations in concert with the associated requirements established in Penal Code Section 290.04.  The following is a synopsis of the Review Committee’s decisions.

The Review Committee has decided to continue with the Static-99 as the SARATSO for adult male offenders. The Review Committee has further selected the J-SORRAT II as the SARATSO for juvenile male offenders. Please click on the following links for more information:

• 2008 official publication of the California SARATSO Review and Training Committees
• Juvenile Sexual Offense Recidivism Risk Assessment Tool II (JSORRAT-II) - Score Recording Sheet
• Scoring Guidelines for the Juvenile Sexual Offense Recidivism Risk Assessment Tool II (JSORRAT-II)
• SARATSO Review Committee Notification
• Static 99
• Juvenile Sexual Offense Recidivism Risk Assessment Tool-II (JSORRAT-II)
• Updated 2008 Norms for Sexual Re-arrest and Conviction
• Static-99 Coding Rules
• Static-99 Scoring Worksheet
• Static-99 Template for Probation-Long Version
• Static-99 Template for Probation-Short Version
• Facts Offense Sheet
• Facts Offense Sheet Guidelines
• Facts of Offense Sheet (Editable Version)

Risk Assessment Question and Answer Message Board

For teleconference connection to the SARATSO Committee meetings please use the following number:
Teleconference Telephone Number: (888) 422-7141
Participant Code: 172236

• The August 13, 2009 SARATSO meeting has been canceled.
  The SARATSO Committee will reconvene at the September 10, 2009 meeting.
• September 10, 2009 - 09/01/09
• October 08, 2009 - 09/01/09
• November 12, 2009 - 09/01/09
• December 10, 2009 - 09/01/09