Citation

Douglas KS, Yeomans M, Boer DP. Crim. Justice Behav. 2005; 32(5): 479-510.

Affiliation

Simon Fraser University, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0093854805278411

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study compared the predictive validity of multiple indices of violence risk among 188 general population criminal offenders: Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) Violence Risk Assessment Scheme, Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG), Violent Offender Risk Assessment Scale (VORAS), Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), and Screening Version (PCL:SV). Several indices were related to violent recidivism with large statistical effect sizes: HCR-20 (Total, Clinical and Risk Management scales, structured risk judgments), VRAG, and behavioral scales of psychopathy measures. Multivariate analyses showed that HCR-20 indices were consistently related to violence and that the VRAG entered some analyses. Findings are inconsistent with a position of strict actuarial superiority, as HCR-20 structured risk judgments--an index of structured professional or clinical judgment--were as strongly related to violence.