FirstRead / Across turns
Why risk needs memory—and how it can get stuck
A calm message should not erase an earlier disclosure. But remembering a mistaken assessment can also make later replies unnecessarily cautious.
What persistence protects
A risk ledger carries concerning messages beyond the recent-message window. Weak signals can accumulate across turns.
ELEVATED settles only after sustained calm and a low score. CRISIS requires explicit human clearance.
What persistence can amplify
A joke or concern about a friend can be read too severely. Once raised, the conversation’s level stays high by design.
The next task is to reduce those initial misreadings and test recovery, while preserving sensitivity to real risk.
Current conversation evaluation: 37 synthetic conversations for development, 21 held out. In holdout, 5 conversations exceeded their labelled ceiling and 1 of 12 that should escalate was missed. These small sets expose failure patterns; they are not clinical validation.