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The field of risk assessment was long dominated by the view that the scientific focus should be on the analysis of accuracy. The methods under investigation were considered valid if they succeeded in distinguishing recidivists from non-recidivists with a sufficient degree of accuracy. The forensic risk assessment process is part of a more complex event that has implications for different parties. The result of the risk assessment must be communicated to different audiences. Forensic risk assessment is thus the basis of forensic risk communication, which in turn is the basis of forensic intervention or risk management. We recommend that forensic risk communication be guided by Fischhoff's (1995) model. This is a seven-stage model to which we add reference literature from forensic research. Key questions are provided to facilitate the application of the model to practical work.

There is ongoing debate about whether specialized treatment is effective to reduce sexual recidivism in juveniles who have sexually offended (JSOs). Although most treatment programs are based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles for preventing sexual offending, accordant scientific evidence is poor. Following CONSORT guidelines, the present study aimed to evaluate two versions of a short-term outpatient treatment program for JSOs in Switzerland: (a) the Therapy Program for Adequate Sexual Behaviors Version 1 (ThePaS-I), which included offending-specific skills training; (b) the ThePaS-II, which included general socioemotional skills training. Based on changes in self-reported mental health, sexual behaviors, victim empathy, and therapist-rated risk, as well as comprehensive data on sexual and general recidivism, we found some similarities regarding the effects of the two treatments. ThePaS-II showed better short-term changes in self-reported mental health than the ThePaS-I. However, JSOs in the ThePaS-I showed lower rates of sexual reoffending (but not general reoffending) after treatment than those in the ThePaS-II. Despite some methodological limitations, the current findings favor offending-specific skills-based therapy over general skills-based ones for preventing sexual reoffenses. The findings may encourage further methodologically sound studies to examine different treatment approaches for juveniles and adults who have committed criminal offenses.

Although the global diffusion of e-mental health has increased in recent years, research on the use of technologies in criminal justice settings is limited. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted an international online survey ( N = 555) of forensic and correctional mental health professionals from Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and 20 additional countries. Telecommunication technologies and mental health platforms had the highest numbers of users, the broadest scope, and the largest increase in use due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In contrast, the use of social media and advanced technologies was lower, narrower in scope, and remained the same or decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents’ age, professional discipline, country, and clinical setting significantly predicted total technology use in clinical practice. The study findings provide an overview of the current patterns of technology use and point to opportunities for research and development.

ZusammenfassungEine Verschwörungstheorie kennzeichnet u. a., dass eine Gruppe einer anderen Gruppe wahrheitswidrig ein destruktives Vorhaben unterstellt.Die Autoren dieses Artikels formulieren einen Vorschlag für eine typologische Einordnung von Verschwörungstheorien und skizzieren exemplarisch anhand der Protokolle der Weisen von Zion sowie QAnon die Entstehung sowie Auswirkungen von Verschwörungstheorien. Zudem wird auf die Persönlichkeit der Urheber und der Anhänger von Verschwörungstheorien Bezug genommen.Etwa 10–30 von 100 Deutschen glauben an eine Verschwörungstheorie. Wer sich für eine Verschwörungstheorie begeistert, interessiert sich i.d.R. auch für weitere. Die Persönlichkeiten von Verschwörungstheoretikern sind zwar nicht psychopathologisch auffällig, weisen aber ein salientes Persönlichkeitsprofil auf: Sie sind weniger verträglich, offen für neue Erfahrungen, schätzen sich als weniger intelligent ein, sie sind ansprechbar für Paranormales und weisen eine hohe externale Fatalität bzw. soziale Abhängigkeit auf.In einem dritten Teil werden Verschwörungstheorien unter dem Blickwinkel der Forensischen Humanwissenschaften beleuchtet. Im Zentrum steht dabei die Frage nach dem Zusammenhang von Verschwörungstheorien und Gewalthandlungen. Die überwiegende Mehrheit der Personen, die sich intensiv mit Verschwörungstheorien beschäftigen, überschreitet nicht die Handlungsschwelle zur Gewalt. Allerdings haben sich nahezu alle Extremisten, die massive Gewalt angewendet haben, mit Verschwörungstheorien beschäftigt. Verschwörungstheorien sind somit forensisch gesehen relevant, etwa so wie extremistische Weltanschauung, Drohungen und querulatorisches Verhalten, weshalb eine Risikoeinschätzung anhand der üblichen Beurteilungsschritte des Bedrohungsmanagements erfolgen kann.

This study focused on COVID-19 preventive behaviors and fears among prison staff members after the first wave of the pandemic. Cross-sectional data from 171 participants were collected in Switzerland. The level of fears (58.5%) and protective behaviors (100%) were high. Correctional officers adhered less to preventive measures than other staff members (p = .001). Fears were related to a reduction of social contacts (p = .006) and worries about physical health was related to preventive behaviors in general (p = .006). There is a need to raise prison staff awareness regarding their vulnerability to the SARS-CoV-2 in order to improve the effectiveness of health campaigns in prison settings. Special attention should be given to correctional officers.

This study investigated correlates of domestic homicide (DH) and other violent crimes. Data were collected retrospectively from criminal justice files on 617 persons in Switzerland (DH = 47). Multinomial logistic regressions revealed that, overall, DH perpetrators were more likely to be older, female, married, to have a psychiatric hospitalization history, and to be under the influence of delusions when they committed the crime. In addition, they were less likely to have prior convictions. Furthermore, the characteristics associated to DH perpetrators were more similar to domestic violence perpetrators than those of persons who committed non-domestic offenses. Based on the current sample, data, and methods, DH appears to be better explained by specialist theories than generalist views of crime, suggesting that DH and the homicide of non-family members are different phenomena. Therefore, domestic offenders may require specific assessment and intervention methods. However, replications of this study are necessary to generalize the current findings. published

We investigated whether authoritarianism and militancy are essential characteristics of religious fundamentalism by exploring subtypes of religious fundamentalism in a sample of n = 152 Muslims from Egypt. We applied Hood and colleagues' intratextuality as a basic type of fundamentalism and selected a range of differentiating factors, such as closed-mindedness, militancy, and religious reflexivity, to characterize different subtypes. A survey with questionnaires was conducted in Cairo, Egypt, in the summer of 2013. Latent class analysis was applied to the data set. A solution with three subtypes fitted the data best. Subtype 1 had flexible and open-minded characteristics, Subtype 2 matched the typical characterization of religious fundamentalism with features of authoritarianism and extremist thinking, and Subtype 3 was a moderate version of Subtype 2 without authoritarian features but still with a high level of closed-mindedness. These results show that authoritarianism and militancy are not essential parts of religious fundamentalism and suggest that a more differentiated concept of religious fundamentalism is reasonable.

This longitudinal study investigated the self-reported adjustment of 75 young adults (aged 17–22 years) newly admitted to a Portuguese prison, and examines changes, correlates, and outcomes of their prison adjustment. The prisoners were assessed at the first, third, and sixth month after their entry in prison. Regression analyses revealed that, overall, adjustment problems remained relatively stable during the first six months of incarceration. Having more prison visits, a lower educational level, and being White were associated with more adjustment problems in general. Adjustment problems were, in turn, associated with subsequent mental health symptoms and severe disciplinary infractions. The current study shows that self-report measures may be useful in assessing the adjustment of young adult offenders’ over time in prison.

Although deviant sexual fantasizing has been found to be an etiological factor for sexual offending, not all deviant sexual fantasies increase risk equally. The aim of the present overview is to provide readers with an introduction to key terminology, a primer on central clinical theories, and a summary of the research literature on “high risk” sexual fantasies over the past 50 years. First, the important difference between “sexual fantasy” and “sexual fantasizing” is described. Second, the link between sexual fantasizing and sexual offending is discussed, with a focus on principle moderators such as physiological reaction, personality profile, and offense-supportive beliefs. Third, the different methods used to assess sexual fantasies are discussed. Fourth, the principles and techniques behind four evidence-based approaches to treating “high risk” sexual fantasies are discussed: (1) the behavioral approach, (2) the cognitive approach, (3) the imagination approach, and (4) the mindfulness-based approach. Finally, a call is issued for practice-based quantitative and qualitative research to further explore this clinical phenomenon. The findings of such investigations would advance the field’s understanding of assessment, management, and monitoring best practices for this important forensic population.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: Although many studies have investigated the influence of personal characteristics on recidivism, knowledge about the impact of correctional policies remains limited. The present study adds to this debate by investigating the effect of the dualistic system of custodial sanctions in Switzerland over time. Specifically, we: (1) tested the influence that different types of custodial sanctions – sentences (offering regular prison treatment) and measures (offering crime-related rehabilitation programmes) – have on reconviction rates; and (2) forecasted future reconviction rates to estimate their value in the year 2020.METHODS: National level data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office were collected, including 3-year reconviction rates after release from custody and the number of persons serving custodial sentences and measures. A time series framework was used for the analyses, which included data available from 1988 to 2013 (n = 26 years).RESULTS: The number of persons serving custodial sentences had no effect on recidivism (p = 0.582); however, a higher number of persons serving custodial measures was significantly associated with a decrease in recidivism (p = 0.003). For the year 2020, a reconviction rate of 28% (range 23–33%) was predicted.CONCLUSIONS: Custodial measures seem to be associated with a reduction in recidivism. However, owing to the indeterminate time associated with some custodial measures, often at the cost of the prisoners’ rights and the criminal justice system, future studies are needed to determine the optimal serving time for custodial measures. published

This study evaluated the validity of the Static-99 and Static-99R in assessing sexual recidivism in Switzerland, based on a sample of 142 male sex offenders. Both tools showed predictive validity, but the Static-99R had better discrimination (OR = 1.82, AUC = .81) and calibration (Brier = .078, P/E = 0.96) than the Static-99. A cut score of four on the Static-99R maximized sensitivity (92.9%) and specificity (60.2%). However, although most offenders (98.7%) with a score

The Sexual Sadism Scale (SeSaS) was developed to assist in the diagnosis of sexual sadism, and it revealed adequate psychometric properties in prior research. This study cross validated the SeSaS in Switzerland using a sample of 179 male sex offenders. Specifically, the SeSaS conformed to a Mokken model of double monotonicity (scalability coefficient [ H] = .46, coefficient of reproducibility [CR] = .89), indicating that it measures a unidimensional construct of sexual sadism with hierarchically ordered items. The reliability of the scale was acceptable to high (ρ = .80, λ2 = .75, κ = .88). In addition, the SeSaS was strongly associated with sexual sadism diagnoses based on mental health manuals ( rpb = .60, odds ratio [OR] = 13.02, area under the curve [AUC] = 1) but not with recidivism. The results suggest that the use of the SeSaS may improve the validity and reliability of sexual sadism diagnoses, therefore playing a role in the assessment and management of sex offenders.

In the forensic field, a reliable and valid assessment of domestic perpetrators who pose a high risk of reassaulting an intimate partner is needed to implement effective risk management strategies. The purpose of the present study was to examine the accuracy of two violence risk assessment methods in identifying high-risk perpetrators of IPV, comparing forensic experts with psychology students. For a cohort (n = 30) of domestic violent cases that required an expert evaluation in the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland, violence risk was assessed by certified forensic psychiatrists using unstructured clinical judgment (UCJ) and by undergraduate and graduate research assistants scoring the actuarial Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) instrument. After a mean follow-up period of 8.0 years, the base rate of violent recidivism was 20.0%. Students were significantly more accurate than clinical experts in assessing long-term violent recidivism (AUC = 0.78 vs. 0.44). Raters without extensive cli...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health issue; worldwide, almost 1 in 3 women is affected. Police involvement in IPV cases has substantially increased because of “proarrest” and “procharging” policies and the enforcement of laws protecting victims of domestic violence. In the course of these changes, several front-line instruments have been developed to structure police risk assessment and decision-making strategies in such cases. One of those is the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA). To investigate its validity in a Swiss police setting, a total cohort of male IPV offenders was retrospectively assessed for a fixed time at risk of 5 years. The recidivism base rate was 32% when recidivism was defined as subsequent police-registered IPV. Although ODARA scores were significantly correlated with IPV recidivism, they showed poor discrimination and calibration. Despite comparable base rates of recidivism, the Zurich sample scored significantly higher on the ODARA than the development sample. This mismatch of the expected and observed recidivism rates resulted in an overestimating of risk, especially in the two highest risk bins. Several reasons for those deviations, such as level of intervention, victim’s reporting behavior, and the dynamic nature of IPV, are discussed.

Several recent studies have found an association between conduct problems and bipolar disorder in adolescents. However, prospective studies are rare and most do not apply multivariable analysis strategies to control for important variables (e.g. socio-demographics). The aim of this study was to test the association between certain conduct problems and bipolar disorders. The sample consisted of 591 adolescents (male and female) representative for 2,600 persons from the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland. Data were prospectively collected through an interviewing procedure, with the first screening taking place at the age of 19-20. The incidence rate was computed using sampling weights, and risk factors of bipolar II disorder were estimated using a multivariable logistic regression model. The 9-year incidence rate of bipolar II disorder in the canton of Zurich was 8.4% (n = 65). Adolescents and children showing behavior such as repeated running away from home and physical fighting were 2.6-3.5 times more likely to experience a bipolar II disorder than those with no indication of conduct problems. Sensitivity analysis showed that the conduct problems were not the result of low socio-economic status.

The best method of ensuring public safety is a widely debated issue among researchers, politicians, and society as a whole. Switzerland uses an approach combining punitive and rehabilitative interventions by its correctional system to address the challenges presented by criminality. In Switzerland, the prison population comprised 87 out of every 100,000 inhabitants in 2012. In that same year, a total of 7,072 people were imprisoned in Swiss correctional institutions and of those 81 participated in an offense related treatment program. In 2013, occupancy rates in Swiss prisons exceeded the maximum, making prison overcrowding one of the most serious problems faced by the correctional system. Keywords: corrections; criminal law; criminal justice; Europe; law enforcement

Weltweit wird durchschnittlich jede dritte Frau Opfer von Intimpartnergewalt. Viele Frauen sind wiederholt betroffen. Um dem Risiko erneuter Gewalt effizient zu begegnen, ist ein reliables und valides Instrument zur Risikobeurteilung notwendig. Bis heute wurden mehrere Risk-Assessment-Instrumente spezifisch fur den Kontext der Intimpartnergewalt publiziert. Eine besondere Anforderung an diese Instrumente ist der breite Kontext, in dem die Instrumente in der Praxis zur Anwendung kommen (z. B. bei Polizei, in Kliniken und Opferberatungsstellen), um entsprechende Falle zuverlassig triagieren zu konnen. Ziel der Entwicklung des kanadischen Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) war es, ein okonomisches Instrument fur die Triage von Niedrigrisiko- und Hochrisiko-Tatern von Intimpartnergewalt bereitzustellen. Bisherige Validierungsstudien weisen auf eine moderate bis gute Trennscharfe des ODARA hin, wobei robuste Befunde fur den deutschsprachigen Raum noch ausstehen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird eine wissenschaftliche und von den Autoren der Originalversion autorisierte Ubersetzung des Instruments vorgestellt.

Studies on adult sex and violent offenders have found high rates of adolescent delinquency, while early delinquency has been shown to be significantly associated with adult offending. The examined subsample ( n = 123) of a longitudinal prospective study ( n = 6,315) includes all men who at the age of 19 had an entry in the criminal records. During the observation period of 34 years, 68.3% of the sample had been reconvicted as adults, 23.6% for violent or sex offenses. The odds of adult sex or violent offending were 2.8 times higher for those who had committed a violent offense in adolescence and 1.05 times higher for any offense committed before the age of 19. The characteristics of criminal history showed the highest discriminative values (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.61-0.65). The most important finding of this study was that characteristics of adolescent delinquency predicted adult violent or sex offending, whereas socioeconomic and psychiatric characteristics did not.

The present longitudinal study describes changes in and covariates of healthcare utilization in 75 young males (aged 17-22 years) during their first year in a Portuguese prison. The prisoners were assessed 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after their arrival in custody. Multilevel negative binomial regression analyses were conducted to examine the effect of time in prison as well as several clinical, socio-demographic, and criminological characteristics on: (a) treatment for mental health problems and (b) treatment for physical health problems. Although healthcare utilization for mental health issues remained stable over 12 months of imprisonment, visits for physical health problems were highest during the first month and then declined significantly. Patterns of healthcare utilization were associated with time spent in prison, mental health symptoms, Portuguese nationality, older age at the onset of imprisonment, criminal history, and severe disciplinary infractions. Strikingly, prisoners who initially reported more mental health symptoms upon arrival to the prison facility received less mental health services for the first six months of imprisonment. The limitations of this study and its implications for correctional research and practice are discussed., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

An actuarial risk assessment instrument can be considered valid if independent investigations using novel samples can replicate the findings of the instrument's development study. In order for a study to qualify as a replication, it has to adhere to the methodological protocol of the development study with respect to key design characteristics, as well as ensuring that manual-recommended guidelines of test administration have been followed. A systematic search was conducted to identify predictive validity studies (N = 84) on three commonly used actuarial instruments: the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG), the Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG), and the Static-99. Sample (sex, age, criminal history) and design (follow-up, attrition, recidivism) characteristics, as well as markers of assessment integrity (scoring reliability, item omissions, prorating procedure), were extracted from 84 studies comprising 108 samples. None of the replications matched the development study of the instrument they were attempting to cross-validate with respect to key sample and design characteristics. Furthermore none of the replications strictly followed the manual-recommended guidelines for the instruments’ administration. Additional replication studies that follow the methodological protocols outlined in actuarial instruments’ development studies are needed before claims of generalizability can be made. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Grundlagen Resonanz ist das unbewusste korpernahe Miterleben eines motorischen, vegetativen oder emotionalen Zustands einer anderen Person und stellt eine wichtige Grundlage der Empathie dar. Neben Autismus und Schizophrenie werden auch die psychopathischen Personlichkeitszuge mit Empathiedysfunktionen assoziiert.

The aim of the present study is to give a systematic overview of risk assessment instruments for the field of domestic violence. Six instruments were identified, which had been published in a peer-reviewed journal and for which validation studies exist: the Domestic Violent Screening Instrument (DVSI), the Danger Assessment (DA), the Spousal Assault Risk-Assessment (SARA), the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk-Assessment (ODARA), the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG), and the Domestic Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (DVRAG). Their validity and practical use are discussed.

The objective of this review is to summarise the recent state of research on intake criteria for forensic psychiatry in Germany. Therefore, a systematic literature review was conducted on the legal basis of paragraph 64 of the German Penal Code for forensic psychiatry. Although the patients were very heterogeneous, relatively robust indicators were identified that may yield an unsuccessful therapy outcome. A younger age, previous delinquency, absence of an educational and vocational qualification, and personality disorders are the most robust indicators adversely affecting therapy in German forensic psychiatric institutions.

In North America, the use of actuarial instruments is considered to be state of the art in the assessment of offender recidivism risk. One of these instruments is the "Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide" (SORAG), which was developed specifically for the use in sex offender risk assessment. The present review investigates the current state of knowledge regarding the instrument's validity specifically for its use in German-speaking countries. Overall the results speak for the instrument's good discriminatory power. However, this is not true to the same degree for all types of sex offender populations. The discriminatory power is especially good in the subpopulation of child molesters. Part of the present review is a German translation of the instrument authorised by the developers of the SORAG.

Prospektive Untersuchungen von Opfern sexueller Ubergriffe und retrospektive Untersuchungen an Straftaterpopulationen weisen auf einen Zusammenhang zwischen sexuellen Missbrauchserfahrungen in der Kindheit (SMK) und Delinquenz im Erwachsenenalter hin. Ziel vorliegender Arbeit war es, an einer reprasentativen Stichprobe von Gewalt- und Sexualstraftatern aus dem Kanton Zurich (Schweiz; N=354) der Frage nachzugehen, was Straftater mit SMK-Erfahrungen charakterisiert. Es wurden zwei multivariable Modelle fur SMK gebildet. Bei 13% der Sexualstraftater und bei 5,8% der Gewaltstraftater war SMK dokumentiert. Mit 18,9% wiesen Kindesmissbraucher die hochste SMK-Pravalenz auf. Multivariable Analysen identifizierten die einheimische Burgerschaft, Heimaufenthalte und Gewalt in der Primarfamilie als Pradiktoren mit dem hochsten Erklarungswert fur SMK. In einem zweiten Modell wurden nur Merkmale aus dem Erwachsenenalter des Taters berucksichtigt. Folgende Pradiktoren erhohten das Risiko, zur Gruppe der Tater mit SMK zu gehoren, signifikant: Verurteilung wegen Kindesmissbrauchs, eigene Prostitution und einschlagige Vorstrafen mit Gewalt- bzw. Sexualdelikten. Die Ergebnisse legen die Vermutung nahe, dass SMK zu einem erhohten und chronifizierten Risiko fur eigene Kindesmissbrauchstaterschaft fuhren.

Introduction: Various international validation studies have found a satisfactory to very good predictive validity for the Static-99, with AUC-values between .70 and .80. It is argued by the authors of this study that due to the static nature of the items assessed in the instrument it is primarily suited for first time psychiatric assessments and less for continuous assessment of offenders' risk dispositions. So far no validation studies of the Static-99 were made on samples of first time psychiatrically assessed offenders in Switzerland. Method: The Static-99 scores of sixty-three sex offenders in Switzerland were assessed by using data from their psychiatric assessments. At no point of the study was there personal contact with the offenders. Recidivism was operationalized as reconviction assessed from penal records. Any reconvictions as well as reconvictions due to sexual and violent offenses were coded and analyzed separately. The follow-up-period was between 7-32 years. Results: The Static-99 risk categories showed satisfactory predictive validity for reconvictions due to any offense (AUC = .64) and good predictive validity for reconvictions due to violent offenses (AUC = .81). They were however, unable to predict sexual recidivism in our population. Discussion: The Static-99 is a valid instrument to predict recidivism also in Swiss offender populations. In this sample of psychiatrically assessed sex offenders the Static-99 was however not able to predict sexual recidivism contrary not only to other international studies but also to a study on Swiss sex and violent offenders administered by the Zurich office of penal corrections. This finding suggests that risk assessment instruments are only valid for specific offender populations and that they can not be applied to other offender groups without further evaluation.

Objective: Most instruments used for assessing the recidivism risk of an offender with a violent or sex offense have been developed and validated in North America. Methods: The aim of this study is to discuss the state of validation for the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) - an instrument for assessing the recidivism risk of violent offenders. A systematic literature research forms the basis for the processing of the literature. In a second section, a scientific translation of the instrument to German, including the scoring rules, is presented. Results: Normally, while examining the validity of the VRAG, there is a focus on the discriminatory power (displayed using the so-called Area Under the Curve [AUC]). These examinations showed a satisfactory to good discriminatory power (AUC: 0.70-0.86). A standardization of this instrument for populations in Europe respectively the German-speaking area has not yet taken place. Only few studies have verified whether North American standard values are also valid for Europe. The few studies on this subject question the generalizability of these standard values to other countries. Conclusions: The VRAG can be considered a valid measure for the assessment of recidivism risk in Germany and in Switzerland, although so far, standardization has been dispensed with. The application of the VRAG can provide indications for the evaluation of recidivism risk and be integrated into an individual case-oriented assessment.