The Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) is a gender-responsive, trauma-informed assessment tool designed specifically for use with criminal justice-involved women. Initially developed in the US to address the limitations of traditional assessment tools, it is currently used across England and Wales by women's centres involved in the Effective Women's Centres Partnership.
This briefing offers practical guidance for those interested in using the WRNA to identify women’s risks, needs and strengths. Drawing on a literature review and insights from practitioners and academics, it aims to support practitioners, policymakers and commissioners in understanding the role the WRNA can play in building a gender-responsive justice system.