Publication

Predicting Recidivism in Sex Offenders Using the SVR-20: The Contribution of Age-at-release

Abstract
Sex offenders (N = 468) were released from custody and recidivism outcome was recorded. The Sexual Violence Risk-20 (SVR-20) was scored for each offender and the relationship between age-at-release and SVR-20 item and total scores was examined. SVR-20 total scores were not correlated with age-at-release (r = .-057). SVR-20 scores were combined with a score representing the age of the offender at their release from custody. On the basis of ROC analysis, predictive accuracy was significantly enhanced when age-atrelease was included in the risk score. We suggest that the SVR-20, and perhaps other similar risk instruments, could be improved by including age-at-release information. We discuss the possibility that the advantage obtained by empirical actuarial instruments may be due in part to their close relation with age-at-release.
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Barbaree, H.E., Langton, C.M., Blanchard, R. & Boer, D.P. (2008). Predicting recidivism in sex offenders using the svr-20: the contribution of age-at-release. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 7(1), 47-64.
Date
2008
Publisher
Routledge
Degree
Supervisors
Rights