The broad aim of this work is to examine the utility of the Secure Care Psychosocial Screening (SECAPS) in the assessment of young offenders placed in secure care. The SECAPS is a standardised assessment, designed by the present author, that can be administered by trained non-psychologist staff. Its purpose is to provide a brief yet broad assessment of criminogenic needs, recidivism risk, self-harming risk, responsivity factors (including numeracy, literacy and intelligence) and to record some personal background information. The development and content of the SECAPS is described and normative data, test-retest stabilities and scale internal consistencies are reported. / PhD Doctorate