Validity and Reliability of the Violence Risk Scale–Youth Sexual Offense Version

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 826-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Y. Rojas ◽  
Mark E. Olver
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Treatment Planning ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
Sexual Offense ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
General Recidivism ◽  
Risk Scale

The present study examined the validity and reliability of a youth sexual offense risk assessment and treatment planning tool, the Violence Risk Scale–Youth Sexual Offense Version (VRS-YSO), on a sample of 102 court-adjudicated youth referred to assessment and/or treatment outpatient services followed up an average of 11.7 years in the community. VRS-YSO scores demonstrated “good” to “excellent” interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs] = .64-.83). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the static and dynamic items identified three latent dimensions consistent with the extant risk literature labeled Sexual Deviance, Antisocial Tendencies, and Family Concerns. VRS-YSO scores showed strong patterns of convergence with scores from the Estimate of Risk for Adolescent Sexual Offense Recidivism (ERASOR), Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol–II (J-SOAP-II), and the Juvenile Sexual Offense Recidivism Risk Assessment Tool–II (J-SORRAT-II). VRS-YSO scores, in turn, demonstrated moderate to high predictive accuracy for sexual, violent (sexual and nonsexual), and general recidivism (significant areas under curve [AUCs] = .67-.88). Examination of pre–posttreatment change data on the subset of youth who attended treatment services found VRS-YSO change scores to be significantly associated with reductions in general recidivism, but not other recidivism outcomes. Future research and clinical applications of the VRS-YSO in youth sexual offense assessment and treatment planning are discussed.

scholarly journals Dynamic sexual offense risk assessment using the VRS-SO with indeterminate sentenced men

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark E. Olver
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Sexual Offense ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Dynamic Risk ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Dynamic Risk Assessment

Indeterminate detention (ID) is a high stakes sanction reserved for exceptionally high risk-high need (HRHN) persons who are deemed to pose an undue risk to public safety. It is one of the most extreme measures that is routinely taken by justice systems to manage sexual violence risk and prevent sexual and violent recidivism. Naturally, risk assessment is most frequently employed as a mechanism to keep dangerous people in custody; but seldom is risk assessment viewed as a possible ticket out for men with an ID designation who have made substantive risk changes and whose risk can be safely managed in the community. This article features applications of a dynamic sexual violence risk assessment and treatment planning tool, the Violence Risk Scale-Sexual Offense version (VRS-SO), with ID individuals and other HRHN men, to assess risk in a dynamic manner to inform risk management efforts and release decisions. VRS-SO data on an ID sample are presented along with clinical illustrations of dynamic risk assessment. Several propositions are made with supporting data from VRS-SO normative research with treated sexual offending samples regarding the use of dynamic tools with ID men and the perils and pitfalls of relying solely on static measures. Ultimately, dynamic risk instruments can be used to track progress and monitor risk change over multiple assessments to inform release and reintegration decisions with ID persons. In this regard, dynamic assessment has the potential to help, rather than hinder, reintegration of ID sentenced persons and can inform safe, fair, and humane decisions.

Die Einschätzung des Rückfallrisikos bei sexuell auffälligen Kindern und Jugendlichen anhand standardisierter Prognoseinstrumente

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Rettenberger ◽  
Verena Klein ◽  
Reimar Martin ◽  
Peer Briken
Keyword(s):  
Sex Offender ◽  
Sexual Offense ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
Juvenile Sex Offender ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Offender Assessment

In der vorliegenden Untersuchung wurde überprüft, ob standardisierte Prognoseinstrumente in der Lage sind, erneute Auffälligkeiten in einer Stichprobe von sexuell auffällig gewordenen Kindern und Jugendlichen (N = 80; als Einschlusskriterium musste keine Verurteilung erfolgt sein) vorherzusagen. Eingesetzt wurden die international als etabliert geltenden Verfahren Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY), Estimate of Risk of Adolescent Sexual Offense Recidivism (ERASOR) und Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol-II (J-SOAP-II). Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Studie zeigen, dass die ursprünglich für junge bzw. jugendliche Sexualstraftäter entwickelten Instrumente auch bei einer Stichprobe sexuell auffälliger Minderjähriger in der Lage sein können, erneute auffällige Handlungen vorherzusagen. Dies gelang allerdings lediglich im Hinblick auf die allgemeine und die gewalttätige Auffälligkeit, während der Nachweis der prädiktiven Validität für erneute sexuelle Auffälligkeiten nicht gelang.

Assessing Dynamic Violence Risk in a High-Risk Treated Sample of Violent Offenders

Assessment ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1886-1900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard B. A. Coupland ◽  
Mark E. Olver
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Predictive Accuracy ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Violent Offenders ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
Violence Risk Assessment ◽  
Change Scores ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
General Community

The present study featured an investigation of the predictive properties of risk and change scores of two violence risk assessment and treatment planning tools—the Violence Risk Scale (VRS) and the Historical, Clinical, Risk–20, Version 2 (HCR-20)—in sample of 178 treated adult male violent offenders who attended a high-intensity violence reduction program. The cases were rated on the VRS and HCR-20 using archival information sources and followed up nearly 10 years postrelease. Associations of HCR-20 and VRS risk and change scores with postprogram institutional and community recidivism were examined. VRS and HCR-20 scores converged in conceptually meaningful ways, supporting the construct validity of the tools for violence risk. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated moderate- to high-predictive accuracy of VRS and HCR-20 scores for violent and general community recidivism, but weaker accuracy for postprogram institutional recidivism. Cox regression survival analyses demonstrated that positive pretreatment and posttreatment changes, as assessed via the HCR-20 and VRS, were each significantly associated with reductions in violent and general community recidivism, as well as serious institutional misconducts, after controlling for baseline pretreatment score. Implications for use of the HCR-20 and VRS for dynamic violence risk assessment and management are discussed.

scholarly journals Changes in J-SOAP-II and SAVRY Scores Over the Course of Residential, Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Adolescent Sexual Offending

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodi L. Viljoen ◽  
Andrew L. Gray ◽  
Catherine Shaffer ◽  
Natasha E. Latzman ◽  
Mario J. Scalora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Treatment ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
Sexual Offending ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Treatment ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Dynamic Risk ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
Offender Assessment

Although the Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol–II (J-SOAP-II) and the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) include an emphasis on dynamic, or modifiable factors, there has been little research on dynamic changes on these tools. To help address this gap, we compared admission and discharge scores of 163 adolescents who attended a residential, cognitive-behavioral treatment program for sexual offending. Based on reliable change indices, one half of youth showed a reliable decrease on the J-SOAP-II Dynamic Risk Total Score and one third of youth showed a reliable decrease on the SAVRY Dynamic Risk Total Score. Contrary to expectations, decreases in risk factors and increases in protective factors did not predict reduced sexual, violent nonsexual, or any reoffending. In addition, no associations were found between scores on the Psychopathy Checklist:Youth Version and levels of change. Overall, the J-SOAP-II and the SAVRY hold promise in measuring change, but further research is needed.

scholarly journals Psychodynamic approaches to violence

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-92
Author(s):  
Jessica Yakeley
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
List Type ◽  
Violent Behaviour ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Actuarial Risk ◽  
Psychoanalytic Theories

SUMMARYThe assessment and management of violent behaviour in mentally disordered patients are no longer the sole domain of forensic psychiatrists, but are increasingly part of the day-to-day work of all psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Violence risk assessment has become a huge industry, and although the importance of dynamic, as well as actuarial, risk factors is now recognised, a more systematic approach exploring the psychodynamics in the aetiology, assessment and treatment of violent behaviour is often lacking. In this article I revisit some of the key psychodynamic principles and concepts relevant to an understanding of violence, summarising the historical contributions of key psychoanalytic writers on violence and aggression, and exploring the ideas of more contemporary writers working in the field of forensic psychotherapy. A psychodynamic framework for working with violent patients is introduced, focusing on the setting and containment, specific therapeutic interventions and monitoring countertransference reactions.LEARNING OBJECTIVES•Understand historical and contemporary psychoanalytic theories of the aetiology of aggression and violence•Utilise a psychodynamic framework for working with violent patients and offenders•Understand the use of countertransference in the risk assessment and treatment of violenceDECLARATION OF INTERESTNone.

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