NCJ Number
209050
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 16 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2001 Pages: 408-423
Date Published
May 2001
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examined predictors of violent recidivism among a sample of 88 serious wife assaulters.
Abstract
While treatment programs for spouse assaulters have proliferated in recent years, measures designed to assess the recidivism risk among this population are only beginning to emerge. Since it is possible that many of the variables important to the prediction of violence in general may also predict violent recidivism among serious wife assaulters, the current study examined whether a measure of psychopathy can accurately predict violent recidivism among serious wife assaulters. The Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) has shown accuracy in predicting violent recidivism among other populations of offenders, so it was tested for its violent recidivism prediction accuracy with serious wife assaulters. Participants were 88 offenders with histories of wife assault; they completed the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the VRAG. Results of statistical analyses indicated that the 12-item VRAG was as accurate at predicting violent recidivism among this group of serious wife assaulters as it was in predicting violent recidivism among other serious offenders. In general, the findings suggest that violent recidivism among serious wife assaulters is lower than among a larger sample of generally violent offenders and that violent recidivism among serious wife assaults can be assessed using risk assessment measures for other violent offenders. Actuarial risk assessment tools such as the VRAG, as well as the PCL-R, are important tools to include in the assessment of serious wife assaulters. Figure, note, references