Stephen D Hart | Simon Fraser University (original) (raw)
Violence/Violence Risk by Stephen D Hart
Previous treatment outcome research has been criticized for using inadequate follow-up periods an... more Previous treatment outcome research has been criticized for using inadequate follow-up periods and for failing to focus on individual characteristics predicting treatment responsiveness. This study attempted to address these criticisms. In the first part, a lengthy follow-up of up to eleven years was conducted on 446 men referred for spousal assault treatment. In the second part, a close examination of the relationship between personality variables and treatment outcome is reported.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 1992
We reviewed the extensive institutional files of 604 male federal inmates to determine the impact... more We reviewed the extensive institutional files of 604 male federal inmates to determine the impact of various types of childhood abuse and neglect on violent and aggressive behavior in adulthood. Men who had been abused as children were three times more likely than ...
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2007
Schizophrenia is associated with an elevated risk for violence. The response has been to incarcer... more Schizophrenia is associated with an elevated risk for violence. The response has been to incarcerate people with schizophrenia and to increase the number of forensic beds. Most of these beds are filled by men with schizophrenic disorders with long histories of offending and of treatment in general psychiatry. Outcome from forensic, as compared to general psychiatric services, is unknown. The present study compared outcome defined as levels of positive and negative symptoms, readmission, and aggressive behavior for 248 men with schizophrenic disorders (150 discharged from forensic hospitals and 98 from general adult wards) during a two-year period after discharge from forensic and general psychiatric services. Patients were intensively assessed at discharge and four times during the subsequent two years. Illicit drug use was assessed both objectively and by self-report. More of the forensic than the general patients had failed to complete high school, had displayed a stable pattern of antisocial behavior since at least mid-adolescence, and had convictions for non-violent and violent offences. At discharge and throughout the follow-up period, general patients displayed higher levels of positive and negative symptoms than forensic patients, and more of them engaged in aggressive behavior towards others. Aggressive behavior was associated with positive symptoms and Antisocial Personality Disorder. Rates of readmission were similar for the two groups. The forensic approach that includes assessing and managing the risk of violence as well as treating symptoms of schizophrenia led to better outcome than that of general psychiatry.
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 2011
How do police respond to and manage complaints of stalking? To answer this question, we conducted... more How do police respond to and manage complaints of stalking? To answer this question, we conducted a 3-phase study. First, we reviewed the literature to identify risk management tactics used to combat stalking. Second, we asked a group of police officers to review those tactics for completeness and group them into categories reflecting more general risk management strategies. The result was 22 categories of strategies. Finally, we used qualitative methods to evaluate the files of 32 cases referred to the specialized anti-stalking unit of a metropolitan police department. We coded specific risk management tactics and strategies used by police. Results indicated that a median number of 19 specific tactics from 7 general strategies were used to manage risk. Also, the implementation of strategies and tactics reflected specific characteristics of the cases (e.g., perpetrator risk factors, victim vulnerability factors), suggesting that the risk management decisions made by police were indeed strategic in nature. Qualitative analyses indicated that some of the strategies and tactics were more effective than others. We discuss how these findings can be used to understand and use stalking risk management more generally, as well as improve research on the efficacy of risk assessment and management for stalking.
Law and Human Behavior, 2013
Law and Human Behavior, 2000
We evaluated the reliability and validity of judgments concerning risk for violence made using th... more We evaluated the reliability and validity of judgments concerning risk for violence made using the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA;. We analyzed SARA ratings in six samples of adult male offenders (total N ϭ 2681). The distribution of ratings indicated that offenders were quite heterogeneous with respect to the presence of individual risk factors and to overall perceived risk. Structural analyses of the risk factors indicated moderate levels of internal consistency and item homogeneity. Interrater reliability was high for judgments concerning the presence of individual risk factors and for overall perceived risk. SARA ratings significantly discriminated between offenders with and without a history of spousal violence in one sample, and between recidivistic and nonrecidivistic spousal assaulters in another. Finally, SARA ratings showed good convergent and discriminant validity with respect to other measures related to risk for general and violent criminality.
Psychological Bulletin, 2009
The potential association between psychosis and violence to others has long been debated. Past re... more The potential association between psychosis and violence to others has long been debated. Past research findings are mixed and appear to depend on numerous potential moderators. As such, the authors conducted a quantitative review (meta-analysis) of research on the association between psychosis and violence. A total of 885 effect sizes (odds ratios) were calculated or estimated from 204 studies on the basis of 166 independent data sets. The central tendency (median) of the effect sizes indicated that psychosis was significantly associated with a 49%-68% increase in the odds of violence. However, there was substantial dispersion among effect sizes. Moderation analyses indicated that the dispersion was attributable in part to methodological factors, such as study design (e.g., community vs. institutional samples), definition and measurement of psychosis (e.g., diagnostic vs. symptom-level measurement, type of symptom), and comparison group (e.g., psychosis compared with externalizing vs. internalizing vs. no mental disorder). The authors discuss these findings in light of potential causal models of the association between psychosis and violence, the role of psychosis in violence risk assessment and management, and recommendations for future research.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 1997
The impact of court-ordered treatment for wife assault was assessed by monitoring 156 men who had... more The impact of court-ordered treatment for wife assault was assessed by monitoring 156 men who had completed such treatment for up to 11 years (mean = 5.2 years) after treatment completion. Recidivist assault and wife assault was assessed through access to Canadian Police Information Centre data that record crimes committed anywhere in Canada. Comparisons were drawn between this group and
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 2003
Berlin and his colleagues (in press, this issue) have raised some important questions regarding
Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2014
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crime that is present in all countries, seriously impacts vi... more Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crime that is present in all countries, seriously impacts victims, and demands a great deal of time and resources from the criminal justice system. The current study examined the use of the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide, 2nd ed. (SARA; Kropp, Hart, Webster, & Eaves, 1995), a structured professional judgment risk assessment and management tool for IPV, by police officers in Sweden over a follow-up of 18 months. SARA risk assessments had significant predictive validity with respect to risk management recommendations made by police, as well as with recidivism as indexed by subsequent contacts with police. Risk management mediated the association between risk assessment and recidivism: High levels of intervention were associated with decreased recidivism in high risk cases, but with increased recidivism in low risk cases. The findings support the potential utility of police-based risk assessment and management of IPV, and in particular the belief that appropriately structured risk assessment and management decisions can prevent violence.
Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 2011
International research has established that stalking is a prevalent problem with serious and ofte... more International research has established that stalking is a prevalent problem with serious and often life-threatening consequences for victims. Stalking is also a unique form of violence due to its nature and diversity, making it difficult for criminal justice and health professionals to establish which perpetrators and victims have the greatest need for services and protection. Risk assessment is one way to address these problems but few tools exist. This article describes the development of the Guidelines for Stalking Assessment and Management (SAM), the first risk assessment instrument designed specifically for the stalking situation. Preliminary data are presented, indicating that the SAM has promise for use by professionals working with stalkers and their victims. Results indicated that interrater reliabilities for the SAM risk factors and total scores range from fair to good, and the structural reliability of the SAM is sound. Moreover, the SAM showed good concurrent validity when compared with two other measures of violence propensity: the Psychopathy Checklist Screening Version (PCL:SV) and the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG). Limitations of the study are discussed, especially those related to the difficulties inherent in file-based research, and suggestions for future research are offered.
Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2002
Risk assessment of stalkers is difficult due to the diversity of stalking-related behaviors and t... more Risk assessment of stalkers is difficult due to the diversity of stalking-related behaviors and the lack of research. The authors discuss three problems. First, stalking is a form of targeted violence, that is, violence directed at specific people known to the perpetrator. Second, stalking may include acts that are implicitly or indirectly threatening. Third, stalking can persist for many years,
Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2011
ABSTRACT Although a great deal of research has focused on the development and validation of viole... more ABSTRACT Although a great deal of research has focused on the development and validation of violence risk (threat) assessment instruments, few studies have examined whether professionals can be trained to use these instruments. The present study evaluated the impact of a violence risk assessment training program on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of 73 criminal justice professionals, including police officers, civilian support staff, and prosecutors. The program covered principles of violence risk assessment, the nature of mental disorder and its association with violence risk, and the use of various structured professional judgment (SPJ) risk assessment instruments. Comparisons of pre- and post-training evaluations indicated significant improvements on measures of knowledge about risk assessment, skills in the analysis of risk in a case vignette, and perceived confidence in conducting violence risk assessments. Findings support the utility of risk assessment training for criminal justice professionals and the utility of SPJ violence risk assessment instruments generally.
Health, Risk & Society, 1999
... The problems created by giving 'ultimate legal opinions' in conclusor... more ... The problems created by giving 'ultimate legal opinions' in conclusory fashion as part of mental health assessments for the courts were recognized 20 years ago and have been debated vigorously since (Rogers & Ewing, 1989; Slobogin, 1989; Melton et al., 1997). ...
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2013
The HCR-20 is widely used to assess risk of violence among patients with schizophrenia. Further u... more The HCR-20 is widely used to assess risk of violence among patients with schizophrenia. Further understanding of the accuracy and changes over time in C and R scores is needed. Using prospectively collected data on 248 men with schizophrenia, the present study found that the HCR-20 significantly predicted aggressive behavior over 24 months. The H, C, R, HCR-20 total, and final risk judgment scores were unable to predict aggressive behavior better than chance among the general psychiatric patients in the first six months after discharge. Changes in three C items, the total R score, and in three R items significantly predicted changes in aggressive behavior.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2013
ABSTRACT In recent decades the practice of violence risk assessment and use of violence risk asse... more ABSTRACT In recent decades the practice of violence risk assessment and use of violence risk assessment instruments has become widespread in the criminal justice system. How are courts reacting to these developments? Herein the findings of a survey of Canadian case law are reported. Using Quick Law 35 cases were systematically identified in which judges commented on expert evidence regarding violence risk. Judicial comments were summarized with respect to evaluator qualifications, assessment procedures used, and presentation of findings and opinions. Findings indicate a wide variety of judicial preferences including the skill and knowledge of the evaluator, the type of information used, the description of findings and procedures, and the applicability of legal rules. Although potentially useful to evaluators caution is urged regarding the incorporation of some judicial preferences.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2011
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2012
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 1992
Law and Human Behavior, 1993
We discuss two major reviews of the accuracy of dichotomous (yes/no) violence predictions (Monaba... more We discuss two major reviews of the accuracy of dichotomous (yes/no) violence predictions (Monaban, 1981;, which reported rates of false positive errors that were calculated using conceptually and mathematically dissimilar methods. We outline potential problems that result from analyzing data in the form of 2 • 2 contingency tables and offer some recommendations for future research on the prediction of violence.
Previous treatment outcome research has been criticized for using inadequate follow-up periods an... more Previous treatment outcome research has been criticized for using inadequate follow-up periods and for failing to focus on individual characteristics predicting treatment responsiveness. This study attempted to address these criticisms. In the first part, a lengthy follow-up of up to eleven years was conducted on 446 men referred for spousal assault treatment. In the second part, a close examination of the relationship between personality variables and treatment outcome is reported.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 1992
We reviewed the extensive institutional files of 604 male federal inmates to determine the impact... more We reviewed the extensive institutional files of 604 male federal inmates to determine the impact of various types of childhood abuse and neglect on violent and aggressive behavior in adulthood. Men who had been abused as children were three times more likely than ...
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2007
Schizophrenia is associated with an elevated risk for violence. The response has been to incarcer... more Schizophrenia is associated with an elevated risk for violence. The response has been to incarcerate people with schizophrenia and to increase the number of forensic beds. Most of these beds are filled by men with schizophrenic disorders with long histories of offending and of treatment in general psychiatry. Outcome from forensic, as compared to general psychiatric services, is unknown. The present study compared outcome defined as levels of positive and negative symptoms, readmission, and aggressive behavior for 248 men with schizophrenic disorders (150 discharged from forensic hospitals and 98 from general adult wards) during a two-year period after discharge from forensic and general psychiatric services. Patients were intensively assessed at discharge and four times during the subsequent two years. Illicit drug use was assessed both objectively and by self-report. More of the forensic than the general patients had failed to complete high school, had displayed a stable pattern of antisocial behavior since at least mid-adolescence, and had convictions for non-violent and violent offences. At discharge and throughout the follow-up period, general patients displayed higher levels of positive and negative symptoms than forensic patients, and more of them engaged in aggressive behavior towards others. Aggressive behavior was associated with positive symptoms and Antisocial Personality Disorder. Rates of readmission were similar for the two groups. The forensic approach that includes assessing and managing the risk of violence as well as treating symptoms of schizophrenia led to better outcome than that of general psychiatry.
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 2011
How do police respond to and manage complaints of stalking? To answer this question, we conducted... more How do police respond to and manage complaints of stalking? To answer this question, we conducted a 3-phase study. First, we reviewed the literature to identify risk management tactics used to combat stalking. Second, we asked a group of police officers to review those tactics for completeness and group them into categories reflecting more general risk management strategies. The result was 22 categories of strategies. Finally, we used qualitative methods to evaluate the files of 32 cases referred to the specialized anti-stalking unit of a metropolitan police department. We coded specific risk management tactics and strategies used by police. Results indicated that a median number of 19 specific tactics from 7 general strategies were used to manage risk. Also, the implementation of strategies and tactics reflected specific characteristics of the cases (e.g., perpetrator risk factors, victim vulnerability factors), suggesting that the risk management decisions made by police were indeed strategic in nature. Qualitative analyses indicated that some of the strategies and tactics were more effective than others. We discuss how these findings can be used to understand and use stalking risk management more generally, as well as improve research on the efficacy of risk assessment and management for stalking.
Law and Human Behavior, 2013
Law and Human Behavior, 2000
We evaluated the reliability and validity of judgments concerning risk for violence made using th... more We evaluated the reliability and validity of judgments concerning risk for violence made using the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA;. We analyzed SARA ratings in six samples of adult male offenders (total N ϭ 2681). The distribution of ratings indicated that offenders were quite heterogeneous with respect to the presence of individual risk factors and to overall perceived risk. Structural analyses of the risk factors indicated moderate levels of internal consistency and item homogeneity. Interrater reliability was high for judgments concerning the presence of individual risk factors and for overall perceived risk. SARA ratings significantly discriminated between offenders with and without a history of spousal violence in one sample, and between recidivistic and nonrecidivistic spousal assaulters in another. Finally, SARA ratings showed good convergent and discriminant validity with respect to other measures related to risk for general and violent criminality.
Psychological Bulletin, 2009
The potential association between psychosis and violence to others has long been debated. Past re... more The potential association between psychosis and violence to others has long been debated. Past research findings are mixed and appear to depend on numerous potential moderators. As such, the authors conducted a quantitative review (meta-analysis) of research on the association between psychosis and violence. A total of 885 effect sizes (odds ratios) were calculated or estimated from 204 studies on the basis of 166 independent data sets. The central tendency (median) of the effect sizes indicated that psychosis was significantly associated with a 49%-68% increase in the odds of violence. However, there was substantial dispersion among effect sizes. Moderation analyses indicated that the dispersion was attributable in part to methodological factors, such as study design (e.g., community vs. institutional samples), definition and measurement of psychosis (e.g., diagnostic vs. symptom-level measurement, type of symptom), and comparison group (e.g., psychosis compared with externalizing vs. internalizing vs. no mental disorder). The authors discuss these findings in light of potential causal models of the association between psychosis and violence, the role of psychosis in violence risk assessment and management, and recommendations for future research.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 1997
The impact of court-ordered treatment for wife assault was assessed by monitoring 156 men who had... more The impact of court-ordered treatment for wife assault was assessed by monitoring 156 men who had completed such treatment for up to 11 years (mean = 5.2 years) after treatment completion. Recidivist assault and wife assault was assessed through access to Canadian Police Information Centre data that record crimes committed anywhere in Canada. Comparisons were drawn between this group and
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 2003
Berlin and his colleagues (in press, this issue) have raised some important questions regarding
Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2014
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crime that is present in all countries, seriously impacts vi... more Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crime that is present in all countries, seriously impacts victims, and demands a great deal of time and resources from the criminal justice system. The current study examined the use of the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide, 2nd ed. (SARA; Kropp, Hart, Webster, & Eaves, 1995), a structured professional judgment risk assessment and management tool for IPV, by police officers in Sweden over a follow-up of 18 months. SARA risk assessments had significant predictive validity with respect to risk management recommendations made by police, as well as with recidivism as indexed by subsequent contacts with police. Risk management mediated the association between risk assessment and recidivism: High levels of intervention were associated with decreased recidivism in high risk cases, but with increased recidivism in low risk cases. The findings support the potential utility of police-based risk assessment and management of IPV, and in particular the belief that appropriately structured risk assessment and management decisions can prevent violence.
Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 2011
International research has established that stalking is a prevalent problem with serious and ofte... more International research has established that stalking is a prevalent problem with serious and often life-threatening consequences for victims. Stalking is also a unique form of violence due to its nature and diversity, making it difficult for criminal justice and health professionals to establish which perpetrators and victims have the greatest need for services and protection. Risk assessment is one way to address these problems but few tools exist. This article describes the development of the Guidelines for Stalking Assessment and Management (SAM), the first risk assessment instrument designed specifically for the stalking situation. Preliminary data are presented, indicating that the SAM has promise for use by professionals working with stalkers and their victims. Results indicated that interrater reliabilities for the SAM risk factors and total scores range from fair to good, and the structural reliability of the SAM is sound. Moreover, the SAM showed good concurrent validity when compared with two other measures of violence propensity: the Psychopathy Checklist Screening Version (PCL:SV) and the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG). Limitations of the study are discussed, especially those related to the difficulties inherent in file-based research, and suggestions for future research are offered.
Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2002
Risk assessment of stalkers is difficult due to the diversity of stalking-related behaviors and t... more Risk assessment of stalkers is difficult due to the diversity of stalking-related behaviors and the lack of research. The authors discuss three problems. First, stalking is a form of targeted violence, that is, violence directed at specific people known to the perpetrator. Second, stalking may include acts that are implicitly or indirectly threatening. Third, stalking can persist for many years,
Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2011
ABSTRACT Although a great deal of research has focused on the development and validation of viole... more ABSTRACT Although a great deal of research has focused on the development and validation of violence risk (threat) assessment instruments, few studies have examined whether professionals can be trained to use these instruments. The present study evaluated the impact of a violence risk assessment training program on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of 73 criminal justice professionals, including police officers, civilian support staff, and prosecutors. The program covered principles of violence risk assessment, the nature of mental disorder and its association with violence risk, and the use of various structured professional judgment (SPJ) risk assessment instruments. Comparisons of pre- and post-training evaluations indicated significant improvements on measures of knowledge about risk assessment, skills in the analysis of risk in a case vignette, and perceived confidence in conducting violence risk assessments. Findings support the utility of risk assessment training for criminal justice professionals and the utility of SPJ violence risk assessment instruments generally.
Health, Risk & Society, 1999
... The problems created by giving 'ultimate legal opinions' in conclusor... more ... The problems created by giving 'ultimate legal opinions' in conclusory fashion as part of mental health assessments for the courts were recognized 20 years ago and have been debated vigorously since (Rogers & Ewing, 1989; Slobogin, 1989; Melton et al., 1997). ...
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2013
The HCR-20 is widely used to assess risk of violence among patients with schizophrenia. Further u... more The HCR-20 is widely used to assess risk of violence among patients with schizophrenia. Further understanding of the accuracy and changes over time in C and R scores is needed. Using prospectively collected data on 248 men with schizophrenia, the present study found that the HCR-20 significantly predicted aggressive behavior over 24 months. The H, C, R, HCR-20 total, and final risk judgment scores were unable to predict aggressive behavior better than chance among the general psychiatric patients in the first six months after discharge. Changes in three C items, the total R score, and in three R items significantly predicted changes in aggressive behavior.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2013
ABSTRACT In recent decades the practice of violence risk assessment and use of violence risk asse... more ABSTRACT In recent decades the practice of violence risk assessment and use of violence risk assessment instruments has become widespread in the criminal justice system. How are courts reacting to these developments? Herein the findings of a survey of Canadian case law are reported. Using Quick Law 35 cases were systematically identified in which judges commented on expert evidence regarding violence risk. Judicial comments were summarized with respect to evaluator qualifications, assessment procedures used, and presentation of findings and opinions. Findings indicate a wide variety of judicial preferences including the skill and knowledge of the evaluator, the type of information used, the description of findings and procedures, and the applicability of legal rules. Although potentially useful to evaluators caution is urged regarding the incorporation of some judicial preferences.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2011
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2012
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 1992
Law and Human Behavior, 1993
We discuss two major reviews of the accuracy of dichotomous (yes/no) violence predictions (Monaba... more We discuss two major reviews of the accuracy of dichotomous (yes/no) violence predictions (Monaban, 1981;, which reported rates of false positive errors that were calculated using conceptually and mathematically dissimilar methods. We outline potential problems that result from analyzing data in the form of 2 • 2 contingency tables and offer some recommendations for future research on the prediction of violence.
Psychological Assessment, 2000
Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1990
Screening batteries of standard neuropsychological tests were administered to 2 different samples... more Screening batteries of standard neuropsychological tests were administered to 2 different samples (Ns = 90 and 167) of male prison inmates. Scores on the revised Psychopathy Checklist were used to divide inmates in each sample into high, moderate, and low psychopathy groups. There were no group differences in test performance in either of the samples, even when the effects of self-reported psychopathology and substance abuse were taken into account. The overall prevalence of both test-specific and global neuropsychological impairment was low and did not vary significantly across the 3 groups. The results provide no support for traditional brain-damage explanations of psychopathy.
Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 2003
There is a growing interest in the assessment of adolescent psychopathy to enable early treatment... more There is a growing interest in the assessment of adolescent psychopathy to enable early treatment and intervention. Recently, a self-report measure has been developed to assess psychopathic traits in adolescents. The Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD), a self-report measure of psychopathic traits, and the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV), a clinical rating scale, were administered to a sample of 100 incarcerated male adolescent offenders to assess the concurrent validity of the APSD. Results indicated that the APSD had limited concurrent validity with respect to the PCL:YV and that there appears to be a method effect in the measurement of psychopathy. Thus, it appears the APSD did not assess psychopathy in a manner parallel to that of the PCL:YV.
Journal of Criminal Justice, 2014
ABSTRACT Purpose Measures of adolescent psychopathy have yet to be examined in offending trajecto... more ABSTRACT Purpose Measures of adolescent psychopathy have yet to be examined in offending trajectory studies. This may explain why identifying etiological differences between individuals following high-rate and moderate-rate offending trajectories has remained elusive. The current study used the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) to examine psychopathic traits and offending trajectories within a sample of incarcerated offenders. Methods Convictions were measured for Canadian male (n = 243) and female (n = 64) offenders at each year between ages 12 and 28. Semi-parametric group based modeling identified four unique trajectories: adolescence-limited (AL) (27.3% of sample), explosive-onset fast desister (EOFD) (30.6%), high-rate slow desister (HRSD) (14.6%), and high frequency chronic (HFC) (27.5%). Findings Both a three and a four factor model of psychopathy were tested, and both factor structures were positively and significantly associated with the HRSD and HFC trajectories. Regarding individual factors of psychopathy, the ‘Antisocial’ factor of the PCL:YV was the only individual dimension significantly associated with membership in high-rate compared to moderate-rate offending trajectories. Conclusions Psychopathic traits appear more commonly present amongst individuals who follow chronic versus moderate offending trajectories. Implications for early intervention and risk management of offenders are discussed.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2012
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2012
Psychopathic personality disorder (PPD) has important clinical and forensic implications. But muc... more Psychopathic personality disorder (PPD) has important clinical and forensic implications. But much more effort has been devoted to assessing or diagnosing PPD than to explicating or defining it. In the first part of this paper, we describe the development of a conceptual model or "concept map" of PPD. Based on a systematic review of descriptions of PPD in the clinical and research literature, as well as consultation with subject matter experts, we identified key features of the disorder and translated them into 33 symptoms, presented as natural language (i.e., non-technical) trait descriptive adjectives or adjectival phrases. Each symptom in turn was defined by three synonymous adjectives or adjectival phrases. The 33 symptoms were grouped rationally to reflect six domains of personality functioning. In the second part of the paper, we discuss research completed and in progress intended to validate the CAPP conceptual model.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1996
The development of the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (... more The development of the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) included 12 field trials to assess proposed revisions. This article provides results from the antisocial personality disorder (APD) field trial that was conducted to obtain data of relevance to the proposals for simplification and for the inclusion of more traditional traits of psychopathy. Provided herein are the results from 4 sites that had sampled from populations of particular relevance to the diagnosis of APD (i.e., prison inmates, psychiatric inpatients, outpatients with substance use disorders, and homeless persons). The results indicated that some items from the 3rd revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1987) could be deleted without affecting the diagnosis. The field trial provided mixed support for the proposal to include more traditional traits of psychopathy.
Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 2009
There is considerable debate about the assessment of psychopathic traits in adolescence due in pa... more There is considerable debate about the assessment of psychopathic traits in adolescence due in part to questions regarding the stability of traits. We investigated the 6-month stability of psychopathic traits in a sample of 83 male adolescent offenders using an augmented protocol for the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version and the self-report Antisocial Process Screening Device. Findings suggested moderate to high stability of psychopathic traits, as indexed by total scores, and low to moderate stability of psychopathic traits at the factor level. The interpersonal and behavioral traits demonstrated greater stability relative to the affective traits, and stability varied by developmental stage, with lower stability in early adolescence. Implications for understanding the developmental expression of psychopathic traits in adolescence, as well as for clinical-forensic practice, are discussed.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1988
... Official parole supervision files provided details of each criminal's behavi... more ... Official parole supervision files provided details of each criminal's behavior during his supervised release. ... Guze's argument that psychiatric diagnosis is not very helpful in predicting criminalbehavior is compro-mised by the use of criteria that permit almost 80% of felons to ...
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1998
Page 1. Journal of Interpersonal Violence http://jiv.sagepub.com/ Inpatient and Postdischarge Agg... more Page 1. Journal of Interpersonal Violence http://jiv.sagepub.com/ Inpatient and Postdischarge Aggression in Mentally Disordered Offenders : The Role of Psychopathy KIRK HEILBRUN, STEPHEN D. HART, ROBERT D. HARE ...
Journal of Personality Disorders, 2008
This study investigated the relationship between symptom clusters of psychopathy, as measured by ... more This study investigated the relationship between symptom clusters of psychopathy, as measured by the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare 1991), and ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion. Participants were 43 adult male inmates. Facial expressions of emotion were taken from Ekman and Frisen (1976). The present results indicated that there were some significant relationships between facets of psychopathy and processing of disgust facial expressions. The experiment highlighted the importance of studying specific clusters of psychopathic symptoms, as opposed to measures of global symptomatology.
Law and Human Behavior, 2002
Seagrave and Grisso (2001) questioned the clinical-forensic utility of tests designed to assess j... more Seagrave and Grisso (2001) questioned the clinical-forensic utility of tests designed to assess juvenile psychopathy. They discussed potential problems with such tests and some avenues for future research. We agree with the points made by Seagrave and Grisso, but believe their critique did not go far enough. The "state of the art" with respect to the assessment of juvenile psychopathy is like an Impressionist painting: fine from a distance; but the closer you get, the messier it looks. We conclude that although tests of "juvenile psychopathy" measure something, it is impossible to be sure at this time they are actually measuring psychopathy.
Law and Human Behavior, 2009
We examined the association between psychopathy, assessed using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Re... more We examined the association between psychopathy, assessed using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised: Screening Version (Hart et al., Manual for the psychopathy checklist screening version (PCL:SV), 1995), and stalking in 61 men convicted of stalking-related offenses. Psychopathic symptoms were rare, but their presence-especially that of affective deficit symptoms-was associated with victimization of casual acquaintances and with several risk factors from the Guidelines for Stalking Assessment and Management (SAM) (Kropp et al., Guidelines for stalking assessment and management, 2008a), including stalking in violation of supervision orders, degree of preoccupation with victims, and targeting of victims with limited access to external resources. The findings suggest that in spite of their rarity, psychopathic traits may be important in the assessment and management of stalking risk.
Law and Human Behavior, 2007
The current study examined psychopathy and nonverbal indicators of deception in an incarcerated s... more The current study examined psychopathy and nonverbal indicators of deception in an incarcerated sample. Nonverbal behaviors were coded from videotapes of 45 male offenders telling true and fabricated stories about crimes. Interpersonal features of psychopathy were associated with inflated views of lying ability, verbosity, and increases in blinking, illustrator use, and speech hesitations. While lying, the more psychopathic offenders spoke faster and demonstrated increases in blinking and head movements. Indicators of deception in offenders were somewhat different from those typically observed in non-offender populations. These findings indicate that personality factors may have an impact on nonverbal indicators of deception in criminal justice settings where the detection of deception is of utmost concern.
Legal and Criminological Psychology, 2009
Methods. Undergraduate students (N=444) viewed video clips of adult male offenders telling true a... more Methods. Undergraduate students (N=444) viewed video clips of adult male offenders telling true and false stories about crimes. For each story, participants rated indirect measures of deception (thinking hard, nervousness, emotional arousal, and attempting to control behaviour) and ...
Personality and Individual Differences, 1996
The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised: Scr... more The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised: Screening Version (PCL-R:SV; Hart, Cox & Hare, 1995, Manual for the Screening Version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R:SV)) in a sample of 75 male and 75 female university students.
Psychological Assessment, 1990
... Assessment of Psychopathy in Male \bung Offenders ... We investigated the psychometric proper... more ... Assessment of Psychopathy in Male \bung Offenders ... We investigated the psychometric properties of an 18-item modification of the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL) in a sample of 75 male young offenders incarcerated in a maximum-security institution. ...
Psychology, Crime & Law, 2008
Although psychopathic offenders frequently lie and manipulate others, it is unclear what strategi... more Although psychopathic offenders frequently lie and manipulate others, it is unclear what strategies they use and whether there are differences between psychopathic and non-psychopathic offenders. The present study examined the association between psychopathy and verbal ...
Personality disorders, 2014
This study is the first to our knowledge to examine the cross-language consistency across the ori... more This study is the first to our knowledge to examine the cross-language consistency across the original version of the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathy (CAPP) and a translated version. The CAPP is a lexically based construct map of psychopathy comprising 33 symptoms from 6 broad domains of personality functioning. English-language CAPP prototypicality ratings from 124 mental health workers were compared with ratings from 211 Norwegian mental health workers using the Norwegian translation. High agreement was found across languages in regard to which symptoms where perceived as central to psychopathy or not. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MGCFA) indicated that, overall, the symptoms had similar associations with the 6 proposed underlying dimensions across the 2 language versions. Finally, in general, the probability for a given prototypicality rating on an individual symptom was similar across language version samples at the same level of the underlying trait, as analy...
Violence and victims, 1997
Previous evaluations of wife assault treatment outcome have focused generically on whether groups... more Previous evaluations of wife assault treatment outcome have focused generically on whether groups "succeed" or not without a clear criterion of what constituted success. The present study examines the question for whom groups generate the greatest reduction in post-treatment abuse and for whom they work least well. It was found that certain types of personality disordered men had the worst post-treatment prognosis. Specifically, men with high scores on borderline personality, antisocial personality, and avoidant personality fared least well after treatment. However, taken as a generic group, men in treatment had significantly reduced post-treatment abusiveness whether reported by themselves or their wives.
APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser c... more APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser configuration. - alerts user that their session is about to expire - display, print, save, export, and email selected records - get My ...
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2010
Peer review is a process often viewed as critical to the advancement of science. But, as Norman P... more Peer review is a process often viewed as critical to the advancement of science. But, as Norman Poythress and John Petrila make clear in the lead article of this issue of the International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, it is a process that can go awry. They discuss a dispute that arose concerning publication of an article in a peer-reviewed
Psychology, Crime & Law, 2002
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2011
Encyclopedia of Psychology and Law, 2008
Social Psychology Quarterly, 1985
One hundred and twenty males and females, participating in same-sex dyads, were assigned at rando... more One hundred and twenty males and females, participating in same-sex dyads, were assigned at random to one offive treatments: four experimental and one control. Half the subjects in the experimental groups were given better scores at the task than their partners, half received ...
Law and Human Behavior, 1998
Do you remember your last high-school reunion? There is something quite magical about the experie... more Do you remember your last high-school reunion? There is something quite magical about the experience of rediscovering old friends and old flames, people who you haven't seen for years. At first, you are struck by how they have changed. They are dressed differently, have gained a little weight. But later, you realize they haven't changed so much as grown: Their essential character-the things you liked so much about them, the things that interested you, even the things that annoyed you-remains the same.
Psychology Crime & Law, 2002
Law and Human Behavior
Examined the validity of the Referral Decision Scale (RDS), which is a test designed to screen fo... more Examined the validity of the Referral Decision Scale (RDS), which is a test designed to screen for mental disorder in jail inmates, using 790 men admitted to an urban pretrial jail. Ss were rated on standardized rating scales of psychiatric symptomatology on the basis of interviews and/or file reviews. Comparison tests were the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Diagnostic Profile. Results indicate that, in general, the RDS had excellent reliability and acceptable validity as a screening measure for serious mental disorder in jail settings, despite making a large number of false positive errors relative to both contemporaneous and subsequent assessments of mental disorder. It is concluded that although the RDS is well suited for use in research, more information is needed before the test should be used for clinical purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 1996
To examine the prevalence of homelessness and its relationship to mental disorder, criminal behav... more To examine the prevalence of homelessness and its relationship to mental disorder, criminal behaviour, and health care. Interview and file data were collected for 790 male admissions to a large, pretrial jail facility over a 12-month period. A significant relationship was found between homelessness and severe mental disorder as well as between homelessness and prior psychiatric history. There were no significant differences found between the homeless and the nonhomeless on the types of crimes for which they were incarcerated or on contact with health care services within the past year. The findings indicate the need for a link between the jail and community services for homeless individuals.
Journal of Threat Assessment and Management, 2014
ABSTRACT The Journal of Threat Assessment and Management (JTAM) is devoted exclusively to the top... more ABSTRACT The Journal of Threat Assessment and Management (JTAM) is devoted exclusively to the topic of violence risk. It focuses on operational or applied issues, that is, the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, procedures, and programs for assessing and managing violence risk. It strives to promote the values of interdisciplinarity and internationalism, based on the view that preventing violence requires collaborations that cross both professional and geopolitical boundaries. the current editors will do their best to make sure JTAM stays true to its aims and values. This issue includes articles that deal with topics ranging from mental illness and violence to sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2001
Page 1. http://ijo.sagepub.com/ Comparative Criminology International Journal of Offender Therapy... more Page 1. http://ijo.sagepub.com/ Comparative Criminology International Journal of Offender Therapy and http://ijo.sagepub.com/content/45/2/183 The online version of this article can be found at: DOI: 10.1177/0306624X01452005 ...
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 1996
Personality and Individual Differences, 2000
The study examined reliability and validity of a new measure of emotional (i.e. non-cognitive) in... more The study examined reliability and validity of a new measure of emotional (i.e. non-cognitive) intelligence, the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i; , in a sample of 243 university students. Results indicated that the EQ-i domain and component scales had good item homogeneity and internal consistency. Scores were not unduly aected by response styles or biases. The EQ-i scales had a meaningful pattern of convergent validities with respect to measures of normal personality, depression, somatic symptomatology, intensity of aective experience and alexithymia. The reliability and validity results for men and women were very similar. Overall, the results suggested that the EQ-i is a promising measure of emotional intelligence. We recommend strategies for further validation of the EQ-i, as well as the construct of emotional intelligence. #
Law and Human Behavior, 1993
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 2000
Law and Human Behavior, 2011
Handbook of Forensic Mental Health Services
International Handbook of Threat Assessment, 2021
This introductory chapter sets forth three foundations for threat assessment and management: the ... more This introductory chapter sets forth three foundations for threat assessment and management: the first foundation is the defining of basic concepts, such as threat assessment and threat management; the second foundation outlines the similarities and differences between threat assessment and violence risk assessment; and the third foundation is a detailed overview of research findings, theoretical avenues, measurement instruments, and developments in practice over the past quarter-century. The goals of the chapter are to introduce professional readers to the young scientific field of threat assessment and management and to clarify and guide seasoned professionals toward greater excellence in their work.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2018
Introduction: Past research has found differences in the brain activation of batterers vs. other ... more Introduction: Past research has found differences in the brain activation of batterers vs. other offenders in response to depictions of violence, but it is not known whether these functional differences are associated with structural brain abnormalities (SBAs). Objective: Investigate the prevalence and nature of SBAs in batterers using neuroimaging methods. Method: Two neuroradiologists independently diagnosed SBAs based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans for the 21 batterers and 20 other offenders. All participants had been screened to ensure that they had no obvious brain damage secondary to neurological injury or insult, including traumatic brain injury. Results: One participant had both a major and minor SBA; 13 had one or more minor SBAs. Most were judged to be not clinically relevant. Conclusion: SBAs are not strongly or specifically associated with IPV, and it is unlikely they are responsible for the differences in brain functioning between batterers and other offenders observed in past research.
Journal of Threat Assessment and Management, 2016
Personality disorders and the five-factor model of personality (2nd ed.).
APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser c... more APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser configuration. - alerts user that their session is about to expire - display, print, save, export, and email selected records - get My ...
Sexual Deviance: Issues and Controversies
Impulsivity: Theory, assessment, and …, 1997
12 Impulsivity and Psychopathy STEPHEN D. HART REBECCA J. DEMPSTER " Psychopathy" is a ... more 12 Impulsivity and Psychopathy STEPHEN D. HART REBECCA J. DEMPSTER " Psychopathy" is a specific form of personality disorder ... Lack of realistic, long-term goals 2 14. ... 1 Part 2 1. Superficial 7. Impulsive 2. Grandiose 8. Poor behavioral controls 3. Deceitful 9. Lacks goals 4 ...
Assessment, Apr 18, 2022
We examined the long-term risk for stalking recidivism and the predictive validity of ratings mad... more We examined the long-term risk for stalking recidivism and the predictive validity of ratings made using the Guidelines for Stalking Assessment and Management (SAM) in 100 stalking offenders from a forensic clinic. Overall, 45 offenders were convicted of, charged with, or the subject of police investigation for stalking-related offenses during a potential time at risk that averaged 13.47 years. Survival analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model indicated that a composite score of the presence of SAM risk factors was significantly predictive of recidivism and had significant incremental validity relative to total scores on two scales commonly used in violence risk assessment, the Screening Version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL:SV) and the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG). Overall ratings of risk made using the SAM, however, were not significantly predictive of recidivism. We discuss the potential uses of the SAM in stalking risk assessment and provide recommendations for future research.
International Journal of Psychology, Jul 1, 2016
Psychological knowledge can be applied in the criminal justice system to prevention of crimes, in... more Psychological knowledge can be applied in the criminal justice system to prevention of crimes, investigation, legal decision making, rehabilitation of convicts, and so on. However, general principles of psychology cannot be easily applied due to the practical problems arising from the system and situations that vary from country to country. For instance, in Japan, obtaining confession has been considered a priority, which has led to cases of false confession. Identification procedures are not regulated, resulting in wrongful identification. The vulnerable are often unheard because of scant special measures, and in court, lay judges have difficulties bringing verdicts and sentencing. In this symposium, cases and research on confession, eyewitness testimony, child investigation, and legal decision making will be presented by researchers facing real-world problems and struggling to introduce psychologically sound methods into investigations and courtrooms. INVITED SYMPOSIUM IS058 The investigative interviewing of suspects and witnesses/victims.
University of Toronto Press eBooks, Dec 31, 2001
Journal of Personality Disorders, Jun 1, 2022
A recent article published in the Journal of Personality Disorders (López-Romero et al., 2021) de... more A recent article published in the Journal of Personality Disorders (López-Romero et al., 2021) described the identification of “putative psychopathic personality” in a school cohort of 3-6-year-old children from Spain. This comment offers cautionary considerations of the original article on scientific grounds and critical comments on policy grounds. We caution researchers, policymakers, attorneys, judges, and the general public about the dangers of using this label given present knowledge about the antecedents, early indicators, and stability of the adult disorder of psychopathic personality when assessed in childhood.
Journal of threat assessment and management, Sep 1, 2018
The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users ar... more The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record.
Law and Human Behavior, Feb 1, 2012