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Investigative Psych > Week 4 > Flashcards

Week 4 Flashcards

(48 cards)

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1
Q

Risk assessment:

Key characteristics of a sex offender
andrews and bonta

A

Andrews and Bonta (2006) concerning general offenders:

  1. Criminal history
  2. Procriminal attitudes
  3. Procriminal associates
  4. Antisocial personality
  5. social factors
  6. family/marital circumstances
  7. substance abuse
  8. prosocial leisure pursuits
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2
Q

Risk Matrix 2000-S (Thornton, 2007)

A 
1,814 released from jail, predictive accuracy = .82
Stage One
	Age
	Sexual appearances
	Criminal appearances
Stage Two
	Male
	Stranger
	Single
	Non-contact
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3
Q

‘True’ rates of Sexual Recidivism (Thornton, 2007)

A

see slide 6

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4
Q

The Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG)

A

Psychopathy Checklist Score

Elementary school maladjustment

Age at index offense

DSM III personality disorder

Separation from parents before age 16

Failure on prior conditional release

History of nonviolent offenses

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5
Q

The Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG)

continued?

A

The Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG)

Never married

DSM III schizophrenia

Victim injury in index offense

History of alcohol abuse

Male victim in index offense

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6
Q

Hastings et al. (2011)

A

Figure 1 Observed 1-year postrelease recidivism from current sample compared with the 7-year recidivism data from original Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) sample.

see graph on slide 9

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7
Q

PCL-R Administration

A

Must refer to the Manual

Conduct interview
Conduct collateral review

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8
Q

Interviews (pcl-r?)

A

Topics:
education, employment, relationships, behaviours

Purpose:
observe interactional style
assess consistency
obtain background information

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9
Q

Format of interviews

A

Must be structured around the items
Must be sufficiently long, e.g., for inconsistencies to be revealed
Across several sessions to allow for reflection and consistency
Must include challenges

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10
Q

What if offender is unavailable?

A

Assessment is possible with file only information

Must be documented that this is not standard

May underestimate or increase scoring

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11
Q

Collateral review

A

Multi-source
–Police/corrections; police/court records, PSR’s, parole probation reports

–Mental health evaluations, ward reports

–Family, community, interviews with family friends
Employment and employer’s comments

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12
Q

Aim of collateral review

A

Obtain background information

evaluate credibility

assess interpersonal characteristics

Cannot complete on interview data alone

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13
Q

Absence of collateral information?

A

Try to obtain from existing sources
‘
Wait for information to accumulate from the current situation

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14
Q

Conflicting information

A

Determine extent of conflicts

Assess credibility of sources
—Ignore trivial conflicts

Weigh information according to credibility of sources

If sources are equally credible, give more weight to information suggestive of greater pathology

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15
Q

Item scoring

A

Item scores based on usual functioning

  • -rate person’s behaviour at most times, in most situations/domains
  • -timeframe is lifetime in most domains

When scoring consider

  • -intensity, frequency, and duration of behaviours associated with item
  • -behaviours not listed in definition
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16
Q

Item scoring

A

Global or prototypicality ratings
2- applies reasonably good match
1- applies to some extent; matches but too many exceptions; conflicts between interview and collateral information
0- does not apply; exhibits behaviours or traits that are inconsistent with or opposite to item

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17
Q

Rating Biases

A

Halo effect

Manipulation by the offender

Ways to minimise

  • rate items one at a time
  • review evidence
  • do not focus on one domain
  • do not resolve in one direction only
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18
Q

Omitting items

A

Insufficient file and interview data

Omissions

  • Total, no more than 5 items
  • -For factors, no more than 2
  • –Prorate scores
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19
Q

Diagnostic cut offs and SEM

A

PCL-R 30 or greater
SE PCL-R total 3.25
PCL-R factors 1.75

Percentile ranks available

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20
Q

North American Means

Study These Flashcards
A

Cut off 30 for “psychopaths”
23 Average for offenders
20 Average for forensic patients
6 average for the general population

21
Q

English prison sample

Study These Flashcards
A

Cut-off 25

Average of prison population 16.5 SD=7.8

22
Q

Psychopathy Checklist (Revised)Item 1: Glibness/superficial charm (factor 1)

Study These Flashcards
A

rate overall impression of individual’s style and sincerity

presentation superficial

portrays themselves in a positive light

talkative- makes entertaining conversation
tendency to ramble, fail to answer question, change direction of answer, fill in dead space

Engage in impression management- uses jargon, tells unlikely but convincing tales

appear at ease during the interview

look for conflicting impressions in case history

23
Q

Item 2: Grandiose sense of self worth (Factor 1)*

Study These Flashcards
A

Inflated sense of self-worth

cocky, arrogant, opinionated, domineering

attitude of superiority

little concern displayed about the future

don’t see themselves as having any major problems

blames any difficulties on external problems

Career goals often inconsistent with work history

attempt to control interview

24
Q

Item 3: Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom (factor 2)*

Study These Flashcards
A

Excessive need for excitement

  • -sensation seekers, risk takers
  • -seeks change and excitement in a variety of life domains
  • -multi-drug use
  • -enjoy living life in the fast lane
25
item 3 contd
Inability to tolerate boring or routine activities - --quit jobs, leave relationships, and travel because they become bored - --difficulty sustaining interest in one activity
26
Item 4: Pathological Lying (Factor 1)*
Lying and deceit are integral to interacting with others fabricate convincing accounts of past behaviour readiness and adeptness at lying easily re-work story if confronted with inconsistencies Use of aliases indicative of a high score lying should not be limited to one aspect of life
27
Item 5: Conning/Manipulative (factor 1)*
Deceive, manipulate others for personal gain commit scams or cons with no concern about impact on victim will exploit weaknesses in others (predators, not prey) Join programs to give appearance of being rehabilitated willing to manipulate family, friends and strangers evaluate conflicting opinions in collateral files
28
Item 6: Lack of remorse or guilt (factor 1)*
Shows no affective response to the negative consequences of their actions more focused on consequences to themselves not others
29
Item 6: Lack of remorse or guilt (factor 1) continued: | indicated by
Lack of remorse indicated by - -inability to appreciate the seriousness of their actions - -shifting blame to victim, society, extenuating circumstances - -repeatedly engage in actions that they also claim they are remorseful about
30
Item 7: Shallow Affect (factor 1)*
Appears unable to experience strong emotions, lack of emotional depth emotions displayed are often short lived difficulties describing subtleties of affective states often described as emotionally cold cannot provide detailed information about well-being of family members Few affective ties to others verbal expressions of strong emotions are often not accompanied by nonverbal behaviours
31
Item 8: Callous/Lack of empathy (factor 1)*
Lacks the ability to take someone else’s perspective uses others as objects selfish and concerned only with number one contemptuous attitude towards others may engage in excessive or instrumental violence casual or matter of fact when describing the suffering of others
32
Item 9: Parasitic Lifestyle (Factor 2)
Persistent pattern of relying on others for financial support makes no effort to obtain steady employment but relies on family, friends or employment insurance parasitically bleeds others by appearing helpless, deserving sympathy, using threats or exploiting others Being a pimp indicates a high score supporting self through crime or having no visible means of support would be scored as 1 supporting self through legal employment would be scored a 0
33
Item 10: Poor Behavioural Controls “aggresivity” (Factor 2)*
Poor anger controls easily angered, short tempered, irritable tends to be highly reactive to perceived insults responds to frustration with threats, verbal and physical aggression anger control weakened when intoxicated history of assaults and threatening behaviour
34
Item 11: Promiscuous Sexual Behaviour (no loading)
Sexual relationships are impersonal frequent one-night stands often cheats on partners engages in casual sex several sexual relationships at the same time may use deception to convince others into sexual relationships sexual offences indicate a high score
35
Item 12: Early behaviour problems (factor 2)
Persistent and serious behaviour problems as a child (12 and under) problems that result in sanctions home ---lying, stealing, running away, disobedience School ----truancy, disruptive in class, bullying Community ----fire setting, fighting, cruelty towards animals and people, substance use, theft
36
Item 13: Lack of realistic, long-term goals (factor 2)*
Live day to day without having any goals or plans do not give serious thought or worry about future unrealistic aspirations with no plans to achieve goals little sustained interest in education poor employment record lives a nomadic existence
37
Item 14: Impulsivity (factor 2)*
Does not weigh the pros and cons or consider the consequences (to self or others) of actions Focus on lifestyle impulsivity manifested by - -sudden change of plans - -frequent changes in jobs and residences - -breaks off relationships - -spontaneous offences
38
Item 15: Irresponsibility (factor 2)*
- Fails to live up to obligations or commitments - no sense of duty - irresponsibility evident across many areas - -financial (fails to pay bills) - -work (late, absent) - -puts others at risk (driving while drunk) - -family (fails to support) - -institution (poor compliance)
39
Item 16: Failure to accept responsibility for own actions (factor 1)*
Avoids taking responsibility for own actions (both criminal and noncriminal) indicated by - --projecting blame on others - --rationalisations - --greatly minimising consequences - --denial
40
Item 17: Many short term marital relationships (no loading)
Frequent unstable interpersonal relationships code only marital type relationships code all “live-in” relationships score on the basis of current age --under 30: 3 or more=2, 2=1 age 30 or over: 4 or more=2, 3=1 omit item if young or had no opportunity to establish relationships
41
Item 18: Juvenile Delinquency (factor 2)
Serious contact with the CJS as an adolescent (prior to age 18) Include only offences that result in formal contact Code for type of offence not frequency - -serious offences (violent, major driving, drug trafficking)=2 - --minor offences (theft, vandalism, poss drugs)=1 - ---no arrests = 0 (if unsure look at sentence)
42
Item 19: Revocation of conditional release (factor 2)
As an adult violated conditional release or escaped custody omit this item for first time offenders rate seriousness of violation major violations = 2 minor violations = 1 no violations = 0
43
Item 20: Criminal versatility (no loading)
Adult criminal career involving multiple types of offences code type of charges and convictions not frequency count all offences that appear on adult criminal record Offences are divided into 15 categories - -theft, drugs, sexual, frauds, murder, arson, robbery, assaults, weapons, driving, kidnapping, escapes, treason, obstruction of justice, miscellaneous - --6 or more = 2, 4 or 5 = 1, 3 or fewer 0
44
Subtypes of psychopathy
PCL-R has 20 items - several combinations can lead to a high score - -to obtain a score of 30, must score 2 on at least 10 items, and 1 on the rest - --But not all high scoring offenders are the same
45
Cluster analysis
On the three facets- interpersonal, affective, and lifestyle Three clusters --“Classic” high on all three facets ----Manipulative- high on Affective ------Macho- low on interpersonal high on others (Herve, Yong Hui Ling, & Hare 2000)
46
Factors in violence
Biological- hormonal Psychological- psychosis, PD Social- attitudes supporting violence Context- defence, poor coping
47
Relationship to other diagnoses
Can be construed as a subset of APD In a typical prison population 50-80% have APD 15-25% are PCL-R psychopaths
48
Limitations | of pclr or maybe risk assessments in general?
Often inaccurate Often not scored correctly Often overlook those who are increasing in risk

Investigative Psych (5 decks)

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