Chap 10

Question 1

Describe the Baxstrom and Dixon Study

Answer 1

Baxstrom: found that few patients commit violence when release from a mental state hospital and that error rate was high in the predictions of reoffending
Dixon: Of the 400 forensic patients released only 60 reoffended, again questioning clinical judgement in risk assessment

Question 2

Describe the various uses of risk assessment in civil settings

Answer 2

1. Child protection, children aid need to protect children in the instance they suffer abuse
2. Immigration laws prohibit individuals from entering Canada if they may engage in violent acts or pose a risk to Canadian society
3. Mental health professionals must intervene if their patient may act harmfully

Question 3

Describe risk assessment in criminal settings

Answer 3

1. Can be conducted at pretrial, sentencing or at release

2. Lawyers have a duty-to-warn if their client poses imminent danger

Question 4

What are the 3 types of risk factors?

Answer 4

1. Static
   - dont fluctuate over time like age of first offense, history of offenses
2. Dynamic
   - factors that can fluctuate over time like antisocial attitudes, substance abuse problems
3. Acute- Dynamic
   - change rapidly prior to offense like level of intoxication

Question 5

What are the 4 approaches to risk assessment ?

Answer 5

1. Unstructured clinical judgement
2. Actuarial
3. Structured professional judgement
4. Systematic and comprehensive

Question 6

Describe the 1st and 2nd generation approaches

Answer 6

1st: based on the clinicians intuition and theoretical knowledge or experience
2nd: based on empirical findings and statistical algorithms to make predictions

Question 7

Describe the 3rd and 4th generation approaches

Answer 7

3rd: Derived from research that can account for more dynamic factors
4th: guides and follows service and supervision from intake to case closure

Question 8

What are the 3 principles of the RNR Model ?

Answer 8

1. Risk: match the level of service to level of risk
2. Need: assess criminogenic needs and target them in treatment
3. Responsivity: tailor the intervention to the specific individual

Question 9

What are criminogenic needs ?

Answer 9

Includes things likes criminal history, antisocial beliefs, associates or relationships, antisocial personality patterns,, family/marital status, substance abuse etc.

Question 10

What is the base rate problem?

Answer 10

the base rate can vary depending on the group being studied, what is being predicted and the length of time for the follow-up period
- Low base rates increase false positives

Question 11

What are some methodological issues in studying risk assessment ?

Answer 11

• relies on low-risk samples (for ethical reasons)
• assumes that risk can be measured and instruments exist to measure it
• There is only a small number of risk factors being studied
• the criterion variable (usually based on criminal record) is not accurate

Question 12

What is illusory correlation?

Answer 12

The belief that a correlation exists when it does not, or the exaggeration of a correlation the degree is much less