RISK ASSESSMENT:Violence reduction scale, Stability of Family upbringing

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Lesson 28

RISK ASSESSMENT

Objective

To understand the use of violence reduction scale for the assessment of

recidivism.

To understand the static and dynamic factors of VRS

When people come into contact with the criminal justice system, they pass through several stages of

processing. At each stage, an individual's risk of re-offending is assessed by criminal justice workers.

Risk assessments are performed by justice professionals on a daily basis: pre-trial, before sentencing,

when determining security level in custody, prior to release, and after breaches or critical incidents

occur (Hart, 1995). These assessments can be either formal or informal in nature.

Risk assessment is fundamental to the criminal justice process because it is a means for distinguishing

between offenders who are likely to re-offend and those who are at a lower risk for recidivism.

Violence reduction scale

Risk assessment and prediction have become an important part of forensic practice for many

psychologists and non-psychologist practitioners. The VRS (Wong & Gordon, 1999- 2003; Wong &

Gordon, 2006) is designed to integrate the assessment of risk, need, responsivity and treatment change

into a single tool. It assesses the client's level of violence risk, identifies treatment targets linked to

violence, and assesses the clients' readiness for change and their post-treatment improvements on the

treatment targets. Treatment improvement or is designed based on the risk, need and responsivity

principles. It is intended for use by scientists/practitioners to assess and predict the risk of violence, to

measure changes in risk after treatment, and to make treatment decisions.

VRS addresses two types of factors:

Static Risk Factors

Dynamic Risk Factors

Static factors refer towards the things that can not change like the child hood history of criminal.

Dynamic factors refer towards the changeable factors like if a person is taking heroine as a drug, once

he decided to quit and quitted the addiction so risk factor is eliminated.

PCL-V receives the criticism that it only gives the estimation of severity of the problem and does not

address the treatment. VRS eliminate the criticism by emphasizing the dynamic factors. So, to work on

changing aspects and if things got change, risk factor minimizes.

The VRS uses 6 Static and 20 Dynamic variables .The VRS Static and Dynamic variables are rated on a

4-point scale (0, 1, 2 or 3) based on a careful review of file information and a semi-structured interview.

The VRS static variables can predict general and violent recidivism, but remain unchanged with

treatment. Higher ratings on the static variables indicate worse "track records" of dysfunctional and

anti-social behavior.

The Dynamic variables, such as interpersonal aggression and criminal attitudes, are changeable risk

predictors; they can be used as treatment targets and can measure changes in risk. Higher ratings (2 or 3)

of Dynamic variables indicate that the variables in question are closely linked to violence and, therefore,

are appropriate targets for treatment.

The sum of the ratings of the Static and Dynamic variables reflects the client's level of violence risk;

the higher the score, the higher the risk. In selecting clients for treatment, those with higher VRS scores

should be appropriate candidates for higher intensity intervention.

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Now let's begin with the description of static factors of VRS.

Static Factors

Few Static Factors are listed below:

Current Age

Age at first violent conviction

Number of young offender convictions

Violence throughout lifespan

Stability of Family upbringing

How these factors are scored while using VRS?

Current Age

Score

Current Age

45 or above

There are lesser chances that an old man

40-44

would commit violence.

So if the person is 45 years or above 45 score

30-39

of 0 is given.

Below 30

Age at first violent conviction

Age at first violent

Score

First case in court that resulted din some kind of

conviction

conviction also determine future violence risks.

30 or above

Researches have shown that if the first offence was

20-29

committed at the young age there are more future

risks of violence. So, high score is given to the age

15-19

below 15.

Below 15

Number of young

Score

Number of young offender convictions

offender convictions

In this category frequency of convictions at

the young age are scored to determine future

No convictions

risks.

1 conviction

2 convictions

3 or more

Violence throughout lifespan

If a person is not habitual of violence and

Violence throughout

Score

only committed a single crime there could be

lifespan

many reasons and motives for that particular

Generally no violence

offence, such individuals are at low risk for

1 crime

further violence. But if the violence is the

2 or more crimes but do

pattern of the some one's life then there are

not fit in any pattern

more chances that he will commit violence

Violence is the pattern of

after releasing from prison. So a score of 3 is

life

awarded to such people.

Prior Release Failure or Escapes from jail

102

Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

In similar way prior release failures and efforts to escape from prison are rated as 0,1,2,3.

Stability of Family upbringing

Score

If person is brought up with good

Good upbringing

parenting, 0 scores are given.

Quarrels of parents in childhood

but resolved later in life

Dynamic Factors

Through out tension in family,

Dynamic factors have been found

unresolved and constant stress

to predict recidivism as well as,

Separation of parents and very

or better than, static factors and

upsetting environment (e.g.

are found more helpful in

living with father and

treatment. These factors are also

mistreatment of step mother)

measured during process of

therapy. It is knowledge of dynamic factors that is necessary in order to assess changes in an offender's

risk level. Dynamic factors from VRS are listed below. These factors are also scored in the same

manner as the static factors are scored.

1. Violent Lifestyle ( like having frequent quarrels with other co prisoners can also determine

future risks)

2. Criminal Personality ( if test scores determine that person has any personality disorder they

are more likely to re-offend)

3. Criminal attitude

4. Work Ethic ( this factor is very good predictor as the individual who has non serious attitude

towards work is more risky then the person who is seriously and devotedly accomplishing the

work)

5. Criminal Peers ( if person keeps bad company there is more risk of future violence and if the

person has company of good people then he is more likely to spend a non violent life

afterwards)

6. Interpersonal Aggression

7. Emotional Control

8. Violence during institutionalization

9. Weapon use

10. Insight into violence ( If one admits that one has committed some thing wrong and have insight

of his crime then less chances of future violence)

11. Mental Disorder (although mentally ill people do not commit crimes but some time their

severity of mental disorder can also predict the future behaviour)

12. Substance Abuse (substance abusers are at very high risk of future recidivism. Because one can

commit several type of crimes either to get drugs or under influence of those drugs)

13. Stability of relationship with significant other

14. Community Support ( the degree of support from family, neighbors and relatives is also

measured and can predict the risk of recidivism)

15. Released to high risk situation

16. Violence cycle

17. Impulsivity

18. Cognitive Distortion

19. Compliance with community supervision

20. Security Level of anticipated release institution

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