Sex offender risk assessments in the child protection context: Helpful or not? Ms Karen Broadley Child Abuse Prevention Research Australia

The child protection context When are sex offender risk assessments used? How are they done? Are they accurate? How helpful are they? 17 th September 2013Presentation date3

It is claimed that a sex offender risk assessment can predict the risk a convicted or alleged sex offender poses to his own children. Low? Moderate? High? 17 th September 2013Presentation date4

Sex Offender Registration Act 2004 No conditions about contact with children Report to police annually Self report about contact with children 17 th September 2013Presentation date5

17 th September 2013Presentation date6 Static risk factors …  Unchangeable  based on studies that have identified risk factors in offenders’ histories  scored  a higher score will result in a higher risk level (Ward & Beech, 2004)

17 th September 2013Presentation date7 Static 99 …  most commonly used tool  asks 10 questions about the individual  5 questions are about criminal history  each answer given a score (Harris, 2006; Harris, Phenix, Hanson & Thornton, 2003)

Accuracy of actuarial tools Many experts agree that actuarial instruments are only moderately accurate (see for example Proeve, 2009; Doyle & Ogloff, 2009; Harris et al 2003). 17 th September 2013Presentation date8

Actuarial tools are only moderately accurate …  Risk is often underestimated in those who have no criminal history.  Intelligent offenders may be more adept at avoiding detection.  Only tell us about the group the individual belongs to.  Only designed to test males. (Bunting, 2007; Doyle & Ogloff, 2009; Harris, 2006; Kemshall & McIvor, 2004) 17 th September 2013Presentation date9

Dynamic risk factors are more changeable …  Criminal attitudes  Psychopathic characteristics  Drug and alcohol use  Relationships  Employment  Access to victims (Harris, 2006; Proeve, 2009) 17 th September 2013Presentation date10

Many tools that measure dynamic risk involve self report …  The Abel-Becker Cognitions Scale is used to measure distorted beliefs about sexual offending against children. 29 beliefs are rated for agreement on a 5 point scale.  The Rape Myth Acceptance Scale assesses beliefs supportive of sexual violence. 19 beliefs are rated for agreement on a 7 point scale  The Abel Screen is a psychometric instrument that is designed to measure sexual attraction toward children. (Allan, Grace, Rutherford & Hudson, 2007) 17 th September 2013Presentation date11

Psychologists publish sex offender information Julie-Anne Davies, The Australian, September 7, A psychology practice used by the Victorian government has posted information about its assessments of sex offenders on its website. The information about the 90-minute online questionnaire to measure deviant sexual interest allowed child sex offenders or adults accused of child sex abuse to swat up ahead of being tested. Victorian child protection authorities and the Children's Court use the Melbourne practice and the results of its tests help determine whether a sex offender or alleged sex offender should be able to live with children … 17 th September 2013Presentation date12

Many assessors use:  one actuarial instrument to measure static risk  psychometric testing and information from collateral sources to guide their ‘adjustment’ of the actuarial score 17 th September 2013Presentation date13

The child protection context  Actuarial tools only tell us about the behaviour of groups. However child protection workers need to make assessments about individual parents.  Risk is often underestimated in those who have no criminal history.  Most tools are designed only to test males.  Offenders may be able to ‘fake good’ on tests.  Risk determinations are likely to change. (Goddard, Saunders, Stanley & Tucci, 1999; Ruiz, Drake, Glass, Marcotte & van Gorp, 2002) 17 th September 2013Presentation date14

Conclusion Within the child protection context, categorising convicted or alleged sex offenders as ‘low’, ‘moderate’, or ‘high’ risk is unreliable and potentially dangerous to children because these determinations:  can be wrong  can change  can undermine a holistic child protection assessment  can undermine case management and monitoring of sex offenders in the community 17 th September 2013Presentation date15

References Allan, M., Grace, R. C., Rutherford, B., & Hudson, S. M. (2007). Psychometric assessment of dynamic risk factors for child molesters. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment,19, 347–367. Broadley. K., (2012) Sex offender risk assessments in the child protection context: Helpful or not? Children Australia, 37(1), 40 – 45. Bunting. L., (2007). Dealing with a problem that doesn’t exist? Professional Responses to Female Perpetrated Child Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse Review, Vol 16, 252 – 267 Doyle, D. J., & Ogloff, J. P. R. (2009). Calling the tune with out music: A psycho-legal analysis of Australia’s post-sentence legislation. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 42, 179–203. Goddard, C., Saunders, B. J., Stanley, J. R., & Tucci, J. (1999).Structured risk assessment procedures: Instruments of abuse? Child Abuse Review, 8, 251–263. Harris, A. J. (2006). Risk assessment and sex offender community supervision: A context specific framework. Federal Probation, 70(2). Harris, A., Phenix, A., Hanson, R. K., & Thornton, D.(2003). Static-99 coding rules revised Retrieved from Kemshall, H., & McIvor, G. (Eds.). (2004). Sex offenders: Managing the risk-research highlights in social work. London, England: Jessica Kingsley. Proeve, M. (2009). A preliminary examination of specific risk assessment for sexual offenders against children. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 18:583–593. Ruiz, M. A., Drake, E. B., Glass, A., Marcotte, D., & van Gorp, W. G. (2002). Trying to beat the system: Misuse of the internet to assist in avoiding the detection of psychological symptom dissimulation. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33(3), 294–299. Victorian Government. (2012). Practice Advice 1581 Children in contact with sex offenders, Department of Human Services, Child Protection Program. Ward, T., & Beech, A. R. (2004). The etiology of risk: a preliminary model. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 16(4), 271– th September 2013Presentation date16

Karen Broadley Child Abuse Prevention Research Australia, Monash University 28th February 2011Presentation title17