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RISK ASSESSMENT:Violence reduction scale, Stability of Family upbringing

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
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.
101
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
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
0
There are lesser chances that an old man
40-44
1
would commit violence.
So if the person is 45 years or above 45 score
30-39
2
of 0 is given.
Below 30
3
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
0
Researches have shown that if the first offence was
20-29
1
committed at the young age there are more future
risks of violence. So, high score is given to the age
15-19
2
below 15.
Below 15
3
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
0
risks.
1 conviction
1
2 convictions
2
3 or more
3
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
0
offence, such individuals are at low risk for
1 crime
1
further violence. But if the violence is the
2 or more crimes but do
2
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
3
after releasing from prison. So a score of 3 is
life
awarded to such people.
Prior Release Failure or Escapes from jail
102
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
In similar way prior release failures and efforts to escape from prison are rated as 0,1,2,3.
Stability of Family upbringing
Stability of Family upbringing
Score
If person is brought up with good
Good upbringing
0
parenting, 0 scores are given.
Quarrels of parents in childhood
1
but resolved later in life
Dynamic Factors
Through out tension in family,
2
Dynamic factors have been found
unresolved and constant stress
to predict recidivism as well as,
Separation of parents and very
3
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
103
Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY:Future of Forensic Psychology
  2. INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOOGY:Way of police investigation
  3. FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AND POLICE:Violent Criminals
  4. POLICE PSYCHOLOGY:Use of excessive force, Corruption, Personnel Selection
  5. POLICE PSYCHOLOGY:Fitness-for-Duty Evaluation (FFDE), False Confessions
  6. INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY:For instance, Empirical and logical approach
  7. INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY:Crime Scene Investigation, Staging
  8. PSYCHOLOGY OF VIOLENCE:Law of Conservation of Energy, Super ego
  9. PSYCHOANALYTIC MODEL AND VIOLENCE:Fixation at Oral Stage
  10. PSYCHOANALYTIC MODEL AND VIOLENCE:Defense Mechanism, Rationalization
  11. JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY AND VIOLENCE:Freudian Methods, JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY
  12. JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY AND VIOLENCE:Religion and mental illnesses
  13. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE AND VIOLENCE:Shadow’s violence, Child’s violence
  14. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE AND VIOLENCE:Operant Conditioning
  15. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE AND VIOLENCE:Schedules of Punishment
  16. SOCIAL LEARNING MODEL AND VIOLENCE:Observational learning, Vicarious punishment
  17. MORAL DEVELOPMENT AND VIOLENCE:Symbolic functioning, Formal operational stage
  18. BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL:Mental hospitals are factories of abuse
  19. ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE ABOUT VIOLENCE:Morality is essential
  20. ISLAMIC MODEL:Nafs al-Ammara, Nafs al-Lawwama, Nafs ul Naatiqa
  21. TREATMENTS FOR THE SOUL:Tawba, Sabr o Shukr, Niyyat o Ikhlaas, Taffakkur
  22. CRIMINOGENIC PERSONALITY:Personality Disorders, Common Crimes
  23. CRIMINOGENIC PERSONALITY AND VIOLENCE:Mnemonic, Similarities
  24. CRIMINOGENIC PERSONALITY AND VIOLENCE:Terrorism and Psychopaths
  25. LEARNING DISABILITIES/MENTAL RETARDATION AND VIOLENCE
  26. ASSESSMENT OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS:Reasons for referral, Personality Inventories
  27. ASSESSMENT OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS:Different cutoff scores
  28. RISK ASSESSMENT:Violence reduction scale, Stability of Family upbringing
  29. TREATMENT OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR / PERSONALITY PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
  30. JUNGINA THERAPEUTIC MODEL:Limits of re-parenting, Personality Typologies
  31. GROUP THERAPY FOR OFFENDERS:Learning in Groups, Humanistic Groups
  32. PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS:Narrative Therapy
  33. PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS:Solution Focused Therapy
  34. PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS:Avoiding reactance, Externalization
  35. PSYCHOTHERAPY IN FORENSIC SETTINGS AND SPECIAL CHALLENGES
  36. FORENSIC PSYCHOTHERAPY:Exploring therapeutic alliance, Music Therapy
  37. VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM:Target Population, Lack of motivation
  38. VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM:Criminal attitude, Interpersonal Aggression
  39. VICTIM SUPPORT:Main features of PTSD, Emotional Support
  40. VICTIM SUPPORT:Debriefing, Desensitization, Eidetic Therapy, Narrative Therapy
  41. SUBSTANCE MISUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM:Marijuana, Unconventional drugs
  42. SUBSTANCE MISUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM:Stages of Change, Homosexuality
  43. EXPERT WITNESS:Insanity Pleas, Sexual Offence Risk, Instructions
  44. COUNTER TERRORISM:Misconceptions, Psychologists & Propaganda war
  45. SUMMING UP FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY:Problems with Risk Assessment, Expert Witness