The impact of actuarial scales in predicting the risk of sexual recidivism and in the implementation of a specialized treatment program for sex offenders released from penitentiary
Joint Event on 17th International Conference on NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE & 4th International Conference on MENTAL HEALTH AND PRIMARY CARE
October 16-18, 2017 | Toronto, Canada
Joanne-L Rouleau
Université de Montréal, Canada
Institut Philippe-Pinel de Montréal, Canada
Posters & Accepted Abstracts : J Neurol Neurorehabil Res
Abstract:
Various methods based on scientific evidence (interviews, questionnaires, PPG) have been used to estimate sex offenders’ potential for recidivism. This estimation is an essential component of sex offender risk management and treatment program. Risk assessment informs all participants in the criminal judiciary system, from judges to treatment providers to the police force, of the likelihood of certain types of sexual reoffending. It specifically enlightens the type and length of the sentence, the type and intensity of the treatment and the level of police supervision. Since the nineties, in order to improve the accuracy of the clinical judgement, actuarial risk assessment scales, involving historical events and treatment-related information, have been developed to evaluate sex offenders. Static and dynamic factors, statistically associated with increased risk of sexual reoffending, are scored jointly to produce a probability estimate against a comparison group. Researchers of the world have established that these actuarial scales are consistently predicting relative risks of criminal behavior and are significantly more accurate than the unstructured clinical judgment. In the last 15 years, having been applying specific actuarial scales (Static 99, 99/R Stable and Acute 2007) with a large population of high-risk-and-need sex offenders recently released from penitentiary, in this presentation, the author proposes to establish their impact on the assessment procedure and treatment implementation of sex offenders recently released in the community. Their limitations and advantages will be presented. The common myths from the opponents to the use of actuarial scales will also be discussed.
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