The term "at risk" is used frequently to describe children and youth and has a strong intuitive meaning. However, the term has no consistent definition and can be viewed as stigmatizing certain groups. Nevertheless, it is widely used. The positive side of this confusion is that program providers have some leeway in how they define "at risk" for their programs. Despite this flexibility, it still is important to have a standard or a reference point for clear communication between providers, funders, policy makers, and the media about what "at risk" means. This brief highlights some of the issues surrounding the concept. Who is at risk? What are they at risk of? What can the information on risk be used for? Is a quantitative measure of "at-risk" desired? What about protective factors? (Contains 8 endnotes.) [Support for this publication was provided by The Atlantic Philanthropies.]