Actuarial Risk Assessments
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Actuarial assessments are lists of factors that have been statistically established to be related to offending. The following are standard Actuarial Assessment used in evaluating individuals.
VRAG (Violence Risk Assessment Guide)
This instrument contains a 12-item actuarial scale which has been widely used to predict risk of violence within a specific time frame following release in violent, mentally disordered offenders. Developed at Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre (PMHC*), the tool uses the clinical record, particularly the psycho-social history component, as a basis for scoring as opposed to interview or questionnaires. The Hare PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist -Revised) score is incorporated into the VRAG calculations of risk.
* The Canadian Mental Health Centre Penetanguishene (MHCP) has transitioned to the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care in Penetanguishene.
SORAG (Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide)
Also developed at Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre (PHMC*), this 14 item instrument is a modification of the VRAG and is used to assess the risk of violent and sexual recidivism of previously convicted sex offenders within a specific period of release. It also uses the clinical record as a basis for scoring and incorporates the PCL-R scores.
LSI-R (Level of Service Inventory – Revised) ;
This is a 54-item rating scale used to assess the likelihood of general recidivism among adult offenders. It is designed to measure attributes of offenders and their situations in relation to level of supervision and treatment decisions. It has been validated for use with adult male and female correctional offenders. The LSI-R is more often used as a tool for individuals to determine their criminogenic needs and as a measure of their progress on probation or upon release and on parole.
The following is an LSI-R Training manual from 2002, which is helpful in understanding the composition of the assessment. Here.
RRASOR (Rapid Risk Assessment for Sex Offence Recidivism)
This is a brief, 4-item screening instrument for risk of sexual offender recidivism among males who have been convicted of at least one sexual offense. It relies on information obtained in files and has been tested extensively on forensic populations.
STATIC-99/STATIC-99R
Developed subsequently to the RRASOR, the original 10-item STATIC-99 was designed to assess the long-term potential for sexual recidivism among adult male sex offenders. It incorporates RRASOR factors. A revised version, STATIC-99R was introduced in 2012.
SONAR (Sex Offender Needs Assessment Rating)
This 9 item scale is designed to measure change in risk level for sexual offenders. It includes 5 stable factors and 4 acute factors.
Minnesota Sex Offender Screening Tool - Revised (MnSORT-r)
This is a sexual violence risk assessment tool that is used to predict sexual recidivism in rapists and intra-familial child molesters. It uses 16 static and dynamic variables to distinguish three levels of risk category.
The RRASOR, Static-99R and Static-2002R All Add Incrementally to the Prediction of Recidivism among Sex Offenders
Is a report from Public Safety Canada on use of actuarial tools.
The State of Missouri's Sentencing Advisory Commission directed a study in 2006 that looked at various risk assessment approaches and tools. That study concluded the actuarial assessment tools gave them a better sense of potential risk. Here.
If there is an assessment that you need information on that is not shown above, please contact us using our Contact Us page or by email to [email protected]
Actuarial assessments are lists of factors that have been statistically established to be related to offending. The following are standard Actuarial Assessment used in evaluating individuals.
VRAG (Violence Risk Assessment Guide)
This instrument contains a 12-item actuarial scale which has been widely used to predict risk of violence within a specific time frame following release in violent, mentally disordered offenders. Developed at Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre (PMHC*), the tool uses the clinical record, particularly the psycho-social history component, as a basis for scoring as opposed to interview or questionnaires. The Hare PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist -Revised) score is incorporated into the VRAG calculations of risk.
* The Canadian Mental Health Centre Penetanguishene (MHCP) has transitioned to the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care in Penetanguishene.
SORAG (Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide)
Also developed at Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre (PHMC*), this 14 item instrument is a modification of the VRAG and is used to assess the risk of violent and sexual recidivism of previously convicted sex offenders within a specific period of release. It also uses the clinical record as a basis for scoring and incorporates the PCL-R scores.
LSI-R (Level of Service Inventory – Revised) ;
This is a 54-item rating scale used to assess the likelihood of general recidivism among adult offenders. It is designed to measure attributes of offenders and their situations in relation to level of supervision and treatment decisions. It has been validated for use with adult male and female correctional offenders. The LSI-R is more often used as a tool for individuals to determine their criminogenic needs and as a measure of their progress on probation or upon release and on parole.
The following is an LSI-R Training manual from 2002, which is helpful in understanding the composition of the assessment. Here.
RRASOR (Rapid Risk Assessment for Sex Offence Recidivism)
This is a brief, 4-item screening instrument for risk of sexual offender recidivism among males who have been convicted of at least one sexual offense. It relies on information obtained in files and has been tested extensively on forensic populations.
STATIC-99/STATIC-99R
Developed subsequently to the RRASOR, the original 10-item STATIC-99 was designed to assess the long-term potential for sexual recidivism among adult male sex offenders. It incorporates RRASOR factors. A revised version, STATIC-99R was introduced in 2012.
SONAR (Sex Offender Needs Assessment Rating)
This 9 item scale is designed to measure change in risk level for sexual offenders. It includes 5 stable factors and 4 acute factors.
Minnesota Sex Offender Screening Tool - Revised (MnSORT-r)
This is a sexual violence risk assessment tool that is used to predict sexual recidivism in rapists and intra-familial child molesters. It uses 16 static and dynamic variables to distinguish three levels of risk category.
The RRASOR, Static-99R and Static-2002R All Add Incrementally to the Prediction of Recidivism among Sex Offenders
Is a report from Public Safety Canada on use of actuarial tools.
The State of Missouri's Sentencing Advisory Commission directed a study in 2006 that looked at various risk assessment approaches and tools. That study concluded the actuarial assessment tools gave them a better sense of potential risk. Here.
If there is an assessment that you need information on that is not shown above, please contact us using our Contact Us page or by email to [email protected]