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Aim: Clinical services for early psychosis seek to improve prognosis for a range of adverse outcomes. For some individuals, perpetration of violence is an important potential outcome to reduce. How these clinical services currently assess this risk however is uncertain. This study aimed to address this gap by using qualitative methods to examine in depth current approaches, attitudes and challenges to assessing violence risk in this clinical setting, from the perspectives of multidisciplinary clinicians, patients and carers., Methods: Participants were recruited from two UK Early Intervention in Psychosis services. Semi-structured individual interviews were undertaken using a topic guide. In addition, clinical vignettes were presented to clinician participants as a probe to prompt discussion. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, informed by the constant comparative method., Results: We conducted 30 qualitative interviews, of 18 clinicians and 12 patients and carers. Themes developed from clinician interviews included key difficulties of low confidence, limited training, accessing collateral information and variation in how risk is appraised and communicated. Potential stigma and sensitivity of the topic of violence were perceived as barriers to its discussion. Patient and carer perspectives provided insight into how to address barriers, and highlighted the importance of an open approach, including with families., Conclusions: We recommend developing contextually appropriate pathways to collaboratively assess violence risk and identify modifiable needs to reduce this risk, and for practical improvements in training and information-sharing., (© 2024 The Authors. Early Intervention in Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Rationale: Prior research has not adequately examined the relationship between psychological state and offending. Limitations include over-reliance on criminal convictions as the dependent variable, failure to examine a comprehensive set of psychological states, the limited nature of measures and the frequent use of cross-sectional data that cannot ensure temporal ordering., Aims: To explore the relationship between five self-reported psychological states-anxiety, depression, hostility, paranoia and psychoticism-and three types of offending-violent, non-violent and marijuana use-reported 6 months later in a sample of justice system involved young people., Methods: Data were acquired from the publicly available Pathways to Desistance dataset, a longitudinal study of 1262 young people (86% male) involved in the criminal justice system. Measures of psychological state were self-reported using the Brief Symptom Inventory at project entry and self-report offending measures 6 months later., Results: No psychological states were significantly associated with reports of marijuana use and depression was not related to offending. Anger and paranoia each predicted an increased variety of violent and non-violent offending, while anxiety and psychoticism each increased the variety of violent but not non-violent offending. Clinically significant states on one or more sub-scales were related to variety of both violent and non-violent offending., Implications: These results suggest that early screening of psychological state may help identify young people at risk for offending. Further research might be directed at clarifying the extent of actual disorder and the nature of interventions that would best help not only those with a diagnosable disorder, but also those with aspects of their psychological state which trouble them, but which may not actually amount to disorder., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This article draws on life-course and desistance theory to explore the relationship between the factors of age, ethnicity, offence type, and incarceration history for a sample of 1,035 women released from custody between January 2013 and January 2014, data gathered from the Australian Queensland Corrective Services administrative dataset. It also explores their impact on recidivism and the time between release and reoffending (known as "time to failure") until September 2017. The data indicate substantial rates of reoffending with 70% of the sample reoffending (a return to custody/parole/probation) within the 2- to 4-year observation period. Notably, 50% of women reoffended in their first year post-release, 36% within 6 months, and 23% within the first 3 months. Regression results show that violent offenders are considerably more likely to be recidivists and older offenders are less likely to be recidivists; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders were also more likely to reoffend. Incarceration history is significantly associated with reoffending and "time to failure". It is clear that there needs to be increased intervention and support for female offenders during the first 2 years post-release from custody. This is particularly important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and those with an extensive history of incarceration.

Objective: Recent systematic reviews have highlighted that the relationship between autism and violent offending is still unclear, but some cases have received extensive media scrutiny. We investigated whether autism is associated with convictions for violent crimes, and studied the associated risk and protective factors., Method: We analyzed data from the Stockholm Youth Cohort, a total population-based record-linkage cohort in Stockholm County comprising 295,734 individuals followed up between 15 and 27 years of age. Of these, 5,739 individuals had a recorded autism diagnosis. The main outcome measure was a conviction for violent crimes identified using the Swedish National Crime Register., Results: Individuals with autism, particularly those without intellectual disability, initially appeared to have a higher risk of violent offending (adjusted relative risk = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.23-1.58). However, these associations markedly attenuated after co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or conduct disorder were taken into account (adjusted relative risk = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.75-0.97). Among individuals with autism, male sex and psychiatric conditions were the strongest predictors of violent criminality, along with parental criminal and psychiatric history and socioeconomic characteristics. There was some evidence that a delayed diagnosis of autism was associated with a greater risk of violent crime. Better school performance and intellectual disability appeared to be protective., Conclusion: An initially observed association between autism and violent crimes at a population level was explained by comorbidity with ADHD and conduct disorder. Better understanding and management of comorbid psychopathology in autism may potentially help preventive action against offending behaviors in people with autism., (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Previous research has found an association between childhood trauma and insecure attachment and psychological distress, risk of violence and engagement in therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between these factors in a forensic population. Sixty-four participants from three secure psychiatric hospitals completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) and the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (CORE-OM). Overall scores from participants' Historical Clinical Risk Management Violence Risk Assessment Scheme, (HCR-20) were calculated. Staff evaluated participants' engagement in therapy via completion of the Service Engagement Scale (SES). This retrospective study found childhood trauma and insecure attachment significantly predicted psychological distress and risk of violence. No associations with engagement were found, but methodological reasons for this outcome were acknowledged. The importance of routinely assessing for a history of childhood trauma and insecure attachment was highlighted., (Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies have suggested that people with intellectual disability are disproportionately involved in crime both as perpetrators and victims., Method: A case linkage design used three Australian contact-level databases, from disability services, public mental health services and police records. Rates of contact, and official records of victimisation and criminal charges were compared to those in a community sample without intellectual disability., Results: Although people with intellectual disability were significantly less likely to have an official record of victimisation and offending overall, their rates of violent and sexual victimisation and offending were significantly higher. The presence of comorbid mental illness considerably increased the likelihood of victimisation and offending; several sex differences were also noted., Conclusions: People with intellectual disability are at increased risk for both violent and sexual victimisation and offending. The presence of comorbid mental illness aggravates the risk of offending and victimisation. Future research should focus on a more nuanced exploration of the risks associated with intellectual disability and specific mental disorders and related indices of complexity.

Objective: To identify subgroups of forensic psychiatric patients based on the age onset of serious mental illness and offending and assess the external validity of the subgroups with theoretically based sociodemographic, clinical, legal and risk-related variables., Method: The age onset of serious mental illness and criminal contact was ascertained for a sample of 232 patients. A range of sociodemographic, clinical, legal and risk-related variables were coded to assess whether age onset subgroups differed in a manner consistent with the literature on typologies of mentally ill offenders., Results: One-quarter of the sample was classified as early starters (patients whose first offense occurred before becoming mentally ill), while two-thirds were late starters (where first offense occurred following illness onset). A small percentage (8%) of patients were deemed late late starters, defined as late starters who had experienced 10+ years of illness and were >37 years upon first arrest. A larger proportion of early starters had a substance use disorder, antisocial personality disorder and a greater number of static/historical risk factors for violence. Early starters were younger upon first arrest and had more previous criminal contacts compared to late starters and late late starters. Mental illness was found to start later in life for late late starters; this group was also more likely to have been married and to have a spouse as victim in the index offense., Conclusion: We found support for distinct subgroups of mentally ill offenders based on the age onset of illness and criminal contact. Compared to late starters, offenses committed by early starters may be motivated more frequently by antisocial lifestyle and attitudes, as well as more instrumental behaviors related to substance abuse. In addition, late late starters may represent a distinct third subgroup within late starters, characterized by relatively higher levels of functioning and social stability; future work should replicate. Findings suggest different rehabilitation needs of the subgroups., (© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.)

Background: The link between psychotic disorders and violent offending is well established; knowledge about risk of post-illness-onset offending across the full spectrum of psychiatric disorders is lacking. We aimed to compare rates of any offending and violent offending committed after the onset of illness, according to diagnostic group, with population controls., Method: A 25% random sample of the Danish population (n = 521 340) was followed from their 15th birthday until offending occurred. Mental health status was considered as a time-varying exposure in a Poisson regression model used to examine the duration from service contact to the offence., Results: Males with any psychiatric contact had an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 2.91 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.80-3.02] for any offending; 4.18 (95% CI 3.99-4.38) for violent offending. Associations were stronger for women (IRR 4.17, 95% CI 3.95-4.40 for any offending; 8.02, 95% CI 7.20-8.94 for violent offending). Risk was similar across diagnostic groups for any offending in males, while variation between diagnostic groups was seen for male violent and female offending, both any and violent., Conclusions: Risk of offending, particularly violent offending, was elevated across a range of mental disorders following first contact with mental health services. The extent of variation in strength of effect across diagnoses differed by gender.

Objective: To examine the prevalence, correlates and motivations for the commission of property and violent crime amongst a sample of people who inject drugs (PWID)., Method: Data were obtained from the 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS), which includes a cross-sectional sample of 887 PWID., Results: Eighteen percent of PWID had committed a property offence and 3% had committed a violent offence in the month preceding interview. Opioid dependence (AOR 2.57, 95% CI 1.29-5.10) and age (AOR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.99) were found to be the strongest correlates of property crime. The majority of property offenders (75%) attributed their offending to financial reasons, however those under the influence of benzodiazepines were proportionately more likely to nominate opportunistic reasons as the main motivation for their last offence. Stimulant dependence (AOR 5.34, 95% CI 1.91-14.93) was the only significant correlate of past month violent crime, and the largest proportion of violent offenders (47%) attributed their offending to opportunistic reasons. The majority of both property (71%) and violent offenders (73%) reported being under the influence of drugs the last time they committed an offence; the largest proportion of property offenders reported being under the influence of benzodiazepines (29%) and methamphetamine (24%), whilst violent offenders mostly reported being under the influence of heroin and alcohol (32% respectively)., Conclusion: Criminal motivations, substance use and other correlates vary considerably across crime types. This suggests that crime prevention and intervention strategies need to be tailored according to individual crime types, and should take into account self-reported criminal motivations, as well as specific risk factors that have been shown to increase the likelihood of offending., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective was to disentangle the relationship between offending, ADHD, and comorbid risk factors., Method: A total of 11,388 students in further education completed a questionnaire, which measured nonviolent and violent delinquency, current ADHD symptoms, conduct disorder, substance use, association with delinquent peers, emotional lability, anger problems, violent attitudes, and low self-esteem., Results: The nonviolent and violent delinquency measures correlated significantly with all the predictor measures, with small to large effect sizes. Multiple regressions showed that after controlling for age and gender, ADHD contributed 8.2% and 8.8% to the variance in nonviolent and violent delinquency, respectively, but these effects were largely mediated by the comorbid measures, particularly substance use, association with delinquent peers, and conduct disorder., Conclusion: The relationship between ADHD symptoms and offending among young people is largely explained indirectly by comorbid factors. A key prevention is to address substance use problems and association with delinquent peers.

Introduction: Police‐issued barring notices are currently used in Western Australia in response to alcohol‐related disorderly and anti‐social behaviour. This paper examines the type, severity and trajectory of the offending behaviours associated with served barring notices. Method: WA Police Force de‐identified the data for 3815 individuals who had received one or more police‐imposed barring notice/s between 2011 and 2020. The offence category associated with each barring notice was examined to explore the overall breakdown and whether/how offending categories change for recipients of subsequent barring notices. Results: For single and multiple barring notice recipients, the most common offence categories were fighting/physical violence and public order offences. Within a subset of the data, non‐anti‐social offences also spiked. Aggressive behaviours predominate for recipients in metropolitan areas, compared with public order offences in regional locations. Discussion and Conclusions: For recipients of multiple barring notices, behaviours do not become more serious but neither do they moderate to any notable extent. The low number of repeat barring notices (5%) may suggest an overall beneficial effect on recipient behaviours but more analysis is needed to examine the potential confounding effects of factors, such as fly‐in/fly‐out workers, policing and locational differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The link between schizophrenia and homicide has long been the subject of research with significant impact on mental health policy, clinical practice, and public perception of people with psychiatric disorders. The present study investigates factors contributing to completed homicides committed by offenders diagnosed with schizophrenia referred to a Swiss forensic institution, using machine learning algorithms. Data were collected from 370 inpatients at the Centre for Inpatient Forensic Therapy at the Zurich University Hospital of Psychiatry. A total of 519 variables were explored to differentiate homicidal and other (violent and non-violent) offenders. The dataset was split employing variable filtering, model building, and selection embedded in a nested resampling approach. Ten factors regarding criminal and psychiatric history and clinical factors were identified to be influential in differentiating between homicidal and other offenders. Findings expand the research on influential factors for completed homicide in patients with schizophrenia. Limitations, clinical relevance, and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common among justice-involved persons, creating substantial health and economic burdens owing to its association with a range of adverse psychosocial outcomes. No study to date has synthesised extant knowledge about TBI across the whole criminal justice pathway. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature on TBI across this pathway, from arrest through to release from custody. Following PRISMA guidelines, five key electronic databases (PubMed, PsychInfo, Medline, Embase, Cinahl), Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science, and grey literature were searched up to May 2023. Fifty-six reports met inclusion criteria. Three more reports were added after review. TBI prevalence rates ranged from 5.65% to 100% with higher rates among persons experiencing federal incarceration, justice-involved adolescents, and justice-involved veterans in the US. Severity of TBI was mostly mild. Studies reported positive associations between TBI and many psychosocial outcomes including violence, incarceration rates, cognitive impairment, mood disorders, psychosis, substance use disorders, and socioeconomic deprivation. Other adverse outcomes included reduced participation in educational activities and increased utilisation of mental health services. More research is needed to establish the true prevalence of TBI in criminal justice systems and the relationship between TBI and psychosocial as well as criminogenic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the association between psychosis and criminal offending has typically focused on violent offenders with chronic psychotic illness. This stages of psychosis in prison (SOPP) study used a clinical staging approach to identify adult men referred to prison mental health services who had an at-risk mental state (ARMS), first episode of psychosis (FEP) or an established psychotic illness. Of the 105 participants included, 6% were determined to have FEP, 6% met ARMS criteria and the remainder had an established psychotic illness. Compared to a prison control sample, individuals on the psychosis spectrum were found to have higher levels of social disadvantage and other co-occurring mental health and substance use problems but were not more likely to have committed a violent offence. These findings support the notion that risk of criminal justice contact and complex illness burden exist across the full spectrum of psychotic illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Whilst most people who experience adversity recover, there is a cumulative body of evidence that illustrates that the effects can be long lasting, and can even become debilitating over time. Links have been made between traumatic distress, mental health disorders and disturbances in behavioural and emotional regulatory systems that may in context elevate the risk of offending. Despite the burgeoning evidence around the criminogenic effects of adversity, few studies have examined the traumatic effects of paramilitary related adversity in the context of post-conflict Northern Ireland. Methods: With reference to DSM-V PTSD diagnostic clusters, the aim of this study was to explore the latent impact of adversity and latent trauma among justice involved young men and identify potential criminogenic effects of exposure to paramilitary related adversity. Results and conclusions: This study found that across the sample, young men had self-reported to have experienced significant adversity, including violent victimisation. Exposure to paramilitary adversity often began during early adolescence. The participants described symptoms that were consistent with clinically diagnosable disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Despite this, there appears to be a paucity of trauma screening and assessment, and few supports that victim could benefit from. In the absence of appropriate and evidence-based supports, many young men appear to find other (and more maladaptive) ways to cope. This exacerbates the risk of interfacing with the justice system and may even contribute towards a deterioration in wider psycho-social outcomes. Implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of homicide cases and their perpetrators with psychotic illnesses in Italy and Turkiye, identifying the extent to which country-specific factors influence offender profiles and crime-scene characteristics. This cross-national chart review study recruited individuals with psychotic illnesses from forensic psychiatric centers in Italy and Turkiye who were referred for criminal responsibility assessments. Data were collected on the offenders' background characteristics, psychiatric history, victim profiles, and crime-scene details. Compared to the Italian sample, a higher prevalence of hospitalizations, contact with mental health services, and past offending history prior to the index homicide in the Turkish sample highlight inadequate community mental health care and monitoring systems, as well as insufficient supervision by the criminal justice system in Turkiye. Turkish offenders were less likely to exhibit organized crime scenes and post-crime behavior, with fewer stressors preceding the offense, suggesting a greater role of positive psychotic symptoms in their homicidal acts. Despite certain similarities, the differences between the two samples highlight the impact of sociocultural, healthcare, and legal systems on offender profiles and crime-scene characteristics. These findings emphasize the need for tailored mental health services, forensic psychiatric assessments and legal supervision that take into account country-specific factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large body of research supports the role of the therapeutic alliance in predicting positive change in psychotherapy. This systematic review examined determinants of alliance quality and its association with treatment outcomes in an under-served and under-researched population—justice-involved youth—with whom several challenges and contextual considerations arise that bear relevance to the alliance. The search strategy yielded 23 independent studies meeting eligibility criteria and describing diverse treatments: 14 quantitative records synthesized narratively and nine qualitative studies that underwent thematic analysis. A complex picture emerged, precluding firm conclusions about factors linked to enhanced alliances and the alliance–outcome relationship with justice-involved youth. Nevertheless, some promising findings were noted across quantitative studies, including potential treatment benefits related to alliance growth and creating positive alliances with caregivers. The review also highlighted the potential relevance of the young person's relationships with peers and parents and their treatment readiness and expectations to alliance quality. Drawing on adolescent, caregiver, and therapist perspectives, the thematic synthesis of qualitative studies generated themes related to key elements of constructive alliances and their role in creating a foundation for initiating change. An integrated discussion is provided, highlighting practical implications and suggestions for addressing methodological limitations and substantive knowledge gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violent crime may impact the perpetrator in many ways, such as experiencing the negative emotions of shame and/or guilt. These emotions may subsequently play a role in adjusting to life after the crime has taken place, which is an area that has been relatively under-researched. The review aimed to identify and synthesise all available literature on the experience of offence-related shame and/or guilt in violent offenders, and to describe and characterise the methodological standard of research evidence whilst suggesting areas for further research. A systematic review of relevant databases was conducted using predefined search terms related to 'shame' and/or 'guilt' and 'violent offenders'. A mixed methods systematic review of sample characteristics, methodologies and measures was conducted to describe and compare findings across quantitative and qualitative studies. The review yielded nine papers. Offence-related shame and/or guilt was prevalent among violent populations. Results highlight the complexity and importance of the two emotions for offender rehabilitation. The findings support the need for further investigation to improve the methodological rigor within this area, such as the use of, and development of validated measures of offence-related shame and/or guilt to encourage a more reformed understanding of offence-related shame and/or guilt, for violent offenders. The review considers several implications for research and practice. • Shame and/or guilt are complex emotions and hold important insights into offender rehabilitation. • Approaches should focus on enhancing adaptive guilt, whilst reducing maladaptive shame. • Future research should aim to improve the methodological rigor when exploring shame and/or guilt as offence-related emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, there were approximately 45,000 juveniles in placement in the United States. Most youth indicate that they plan to live with a family member upon release. Yet, many boys report housing needs before, during or after their time in placement which may be related to family experiences with child maltreatment, substance abuse and criminal justice contact. Using the young males' data from the Serious and Violent Offenders Re-entry Initiative (SVORI), we investigate the influence of boys' housing needs prior to their release on their continued housing needs and offending in the first-year post-release. We found that needing a place to live prior to release significantly increased boys' violent offending at nine-months post-release and we also find that boys who did not live with a parent prior to placement reported more crime at nine-months post-release. We also found that boys' baseline housing needs and prior physical abuse significantly predicted boys' reports that they needed help finding a place to live at nine-months and that baseline housing needs significantly predicted housing needs at fifteen months post-release. We contextualize our findings given the adverse family environments boys often face post-release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The link between schizophrenia and violent offending has long been the subject of research with significant impact on mental health policy, clinical practice and public perception of the dangerousness of people with psychiatric disorders. The present study attempts to identify factors that differentiate between violent and non-violent offenders based on a unique sample of 370 forensic offender patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder by employing machine learning algorithms and an extensive set of variables. Methods: Using machine learning algorithms, 519 variables were explored in order to differentiate violent and non-violent offenders. To minimize the risk of overfitting, the dataset was split, employing variable filtering, machine learning model building and selection embedded in a nested resampling approach on one subset. The best model was then selected, and the most important variables applied on the second data subset. Results: Ten factors regarding criminal and psychiatric history as well as clinical, developmental, and social factors were identified to be most influential in differentiating between violent and non-violent offenders and are discussed in light of prior research on this topic. With an AUC of 0.76, a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 62%, a correct classification into violent and non-violent offences could be determined in almost three quarters of cases. Conclusions: Our findings expand current research on the factors influencing violent offending in patients with SSD, which is crucial for the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies that could potentially reduce the prevalence of violence in this population. Limitations, clinical relevance and future directions are discussed.

Anderson's Code of the Street thesis suggests that stronger belief in, and adherence to, subcultural "street code" norms increases the risk of criminal and aggressive behaviors, particularly among adolescents and young adults in urban communities. This study uses a meta-analysis to assess the overall relationship between individual belief in the street code and risk of offending. Effect sizes (n = 38) from 20 unique studies produced a weighted correlation (r) of.11, indicating a belief in the street code had a positive association with offending across all studies. The effect is strongest for violent offending (.13) and among samples comprised of adolescents (.14), as predicted by Anderson's theory. Even after accounting for competing theoretical and established correlates of offending, modest effects of street code beliefs on offending remained. These findings indicate that overall, the street code is a more general theory than Anderson originally predicted. Directions for future research on the code are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus on veterans in research is not a novel topic; however, the majority of studies are related to trauma, employment, mental health, suicide, and substance misuse. The criminal justice system involvement with veterans is a topic that has yet to be examined to a great extent. This study, conducted with adult male prisoners, elicited information from six veterans regarding their experiences of being in the armed forces, leaving the armed forces, and becoming involved in the criminal justice system. Responses were evaluated using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and three main themes were identified: "you're baptized into the army," "them and us," and "operational mind-set"; each of which comprised a number of superordinate themes. The research highlights that although it is important to acknowledge the heterogenic nature of this group, it is equally important to note that much of their thinking and behavior may be similar to those that have not had these experiences. As such, there is a need to reduce the notion that they are separate and different to other prisoners, requiring different treatment. The study highlights that many of the offending behavior programs and interventions already available to prisoners would be appropriate for this group. The current research supports the merit in creating a service in prisons that will allow ex-servicemen to meet together and access the support that is available to them. The implications of the research are discussed further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a 25-year Australian cohort of men and women found Not Guilty by reason of Mental Illness (NGMI forensic patients; N = 477), we aimed to: establish the sociodemographic, clinical and forensic characteristics of the sample, comparing men and women; to establish rates of post-release reoffending, including for men and women separately; and to test associations between individual characteristics and post-release re-offending in the full sample. Post-release re-offending was considered in terms of officially-recorded charges, proven offenses, violent offenses, and any offending within the first 12 months of release. Women (13.8%) were found to differ significantly from men on a number of key characteristics but, although women had a higher rate of proven offending in the early post-release period, sex was not a predictor of post-release offending overall. Post-release re-offending rates were low (6.3% committed proven offenses in the first 12 months following release) and the only independent predictor of re-offending was a clinically-recorded diagnosis of co-morbid personality disorder (i.e. co-morbid with a primary psychosis diagnosis). The differences identified between male and female NGMI forensic patients, including the differences in re-offending in the early post-release period, have implications for the development of forensic services and interventions, in both inpatient and community settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) and the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) are among the most widely used adolescent risk assessment tools, they conceptualize and measure strengths differently. As such, in this study, we compared the predictive validity of SAVRY Protective Total and YLS/CMI Strength Total, and tested conceptual models of how these measures operate (i.e., risk vs. protective effects, direct vs. buffering effects, causal models). Research assistants conducted 624 risk assessments with 156 youth on probation. They rated protective factors at baseline, and again at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up periods. The SAVRY Protective Total and YLS/CMI Strength Total inversely predicted any charges in the subsequent 2 years (area under the curve scores = 0.61 and 0.60, respectively, p <.05). Furthermore, when adolescents' protective total scores increased, their self-reported violence decreased, thus providing evidence that these factors might play a causally relevant role in reducing violence. However, protective factors did not provide incremental validity over risk factors. In addition, because these measures are brief and use a dichotomous rating system, they primarily captured deficits in protective factors (i.e., low scores). This suggests a need for more comprehensive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychosis is known to be associated with an increased risk of violent offending, but the risk of criminal offending of any type is not so well understood, including the nature and extent of any differences in offending risk for men and women with psychosis.Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases from 1970 to March 2020 was conducted to identify studies comparing criminal offending amongst those with psychosis to a general population sample. A meta-analysis was performed, with separate analyses undertaken for men and women.Results: Eight studies, with a total of 15,446 individuals with psychosis and 186,752 controls from general population sources, met our inclusion criteria. The pooled odds ratio for any type of criminal offending for men with psychosis was 2.42 (95% CI = 1.63-3.59), and for women it was 2.81 (95% CI = 2.11-3.76). Substantial between study heterogeneity was identified.Conclusions: Although the pooled odds ratio for all types of offending was not as high as has been found for violence, those with psychotic illness were more than twice as likely to have had contact with the criminal justice system for any type of criminal offence, compared to the general population. Little difference in risk was seen for women compared to men with psychosis. Clinical risk assessments and the development of interventions to reduce risk of contact with the criminal justice system should consider that risk of offending for those with psychosis extends right across the spectrum of offence types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between victimization and subsequent maladaptive behaviors such as offending is well established. To a lesser degree, a contextual lens has been used to examine how neighborhood characteristics influence the overlap between victimization and offending. The existing literature has yet to explore how the neighborhood context moderates the victim–offender overlap among young women, specifically, or whether the type of force used during sexual victimization or offending matters. This study uses data from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to examine whether concentrated disadvantage moderates the impact of sexual victimization on subsequent offending for women. Results indicate that young women who experience sexual victimization are more likely to engage in general offending regardless of neighborhood type. However, closer examination reveals that, when taking into account the type of force used in sexual victimization (physical or coerced) and the type of offending (violent, property, drug use), the overlap does indeed vary across neighborhoods. Specifically, results indicate that only coerced sexual victimization significantly affects property offending in neighborhoods with high levels of concentrated disadvantage. Related to violent offending, physical sexual victimization has a strong positive impact in less disadvantaged neighborhoods. Finally, coerced sexual victimization is significantly associated with an increased likelihood for drug use, and this relationship is consistent across neighborhoods. The findings suggest that nuances in the nature of victimization and offending need to be taken into account to fully understand the victim–offender overlap across neighborhood context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juveniles are overrepresented among arson offenders, though previous research has been mixed in identifying key risk factors differentiating juvenile firesetters from youth who do not light unsanctioned fires. The current meta-analysis examined all published and available unpublished research over a 30-year period, examining risk and protective factors associated with youth firesetting. Control groups comprised youth living in the community, forensic samples, and clinic referred youth. Across 39 independent samples with 22,292 juveniles, fire specific variables yielded the strongest differentiation between firesetters and non-firesetters, particularly history of fire involvement and fire interest. Juvenile firesetters had significantly more extensive histories of problematic behaviours, experienced adverse familial events, elevated rates of emotional dysregulation, and greater prevalence of mental health disorders compared to youth not involved in firesetting. Protective factors were less often identified for firesetters compared to non-firesetters. The findings highlight juvenile firesetters often experience multiple problems, magnified by a history of interest and involvement in firesetting. Hence, interventions with juvenile firesetters need to target multiple problem areas while assisting youth to redirecting interests towards non-antisocial pursuits. Caution is noted in interpreting the findings, with significant heterogeneity identified for most effect sizes across studies. • The majority of variables significantly differentiated firesetters from non-firesetters. • Juvenile firesetters demonstrated more risk than non-firesetters. • Fire-specific variables yielded the strongest association. • Conduct disorder, violent/dangerous offending, and cruelty were salient among firesetters. • Protective factors were negatively associated with deliberate firesetting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary objective: To identify correlates of past traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a population of young offenders. Research design: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on available data from a sample derived from the NSW Young People on Community Orders Health Survey. Procedures: Study participants were administered questionnaires to collect history relating to past TBI, childhood trauma, substance abuse, and psychological/psychiatric symptoms and underwent assessments of intellectual functioning. Information on offending history was accessed through Juvenile Justice administrative records. Outcomes and results: Analyses were undertaken on data from 788 young offenders (672 males and 116 females). A past TBI was reported in 39%. Symptoms of psychological distress were more prevalent in females. A history of TBI was associated with more symptoms on a Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, as well as higher psychological distress (K-10), and higher levels on standardized measures of anger/violence, post-traumatic stress, and substance abuse. Conclusions: The experience of early life trauma warrants further consideration as an antecedent to both childhood TBI and offending which might account for some of the previously observed association of mild TBI with subsequent offending behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is clear experimental evidence for a causal link between alcohol misuse and violent behaviour. Treatments for alcohol misuse with offenders are therefore justified on the grounds that they may reduce violent behaviour and thus re-offending. The current paper tested whether a 10-session CBT intervention with offenders still in prison would produce improvements across three time points (pre, post and follow up) in self-reported alcohol expectancies, aggressiveness, impulsivity, and self-efficacy in managing alcohol use and violent behaviour. The programme focussed on educating participants on the relationship between alcohol use and violence, modifying unhelpful cognitions, and providing skills based training to manage potential triggers. Data from 49 offenders in prison were collected pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at three month follow up. Long term improvements (from pre- to post-intervention and follow up) were observed with respect to alcohol expectancies (in terms of sociability and liquid courage), impulsive responding to negative affect triggers, trait anger, and confidence in managing alcohol use and offending behaviour. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy of the CBT programme in reducing harmful alcohol use and associated violence. Limitations and recommendations for future evaluation of the intervention are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to contribute to our sociological understanding of animal crime. Using Chicago Police Department data that include primary and secondary charges of all animal crimes between 2009 and 2012, findings indicate that most animal crime offenders were male, African American or Hispanic, and under 35 years. When other crimes were committed with animal crime, they were likely drug or weapons offenses. Juveniles arrested for animal crimes tended to commit more severe animal crimes than adult offenders. Finally, regression results indicated that race was positively related to animal crime severity, while concurrent drug offenses were inversely related to animal crime severity. Implications for theory, research, and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Over recent years there has been increasing interest in the extent to which child sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with an increased risk for criminal offending generally, and sexual offending more specifically. There is now a small but rapidly growing body of literature testing these associations; however, there have been few attempts integrate and summarise empirical findings regarding the range of criminal consequences that might be associated with a history of CSA. This comprehensive review aimed to provide a critical synthesis of existing research examining whether CSA is associated with an increased propensity to engage in crime. It also sought to integrate findings concerning the risk factors found to influence the CSA–offending association. First, we provide a summary of key conceptual models explaining the link between child abuse and offending. The context and risk markers of CSA are then briefly explored, followed by a summary of the various methodological considerations and limitations common to the 'cycle-of-violence' literature. The substantive part of the review outlines the findings from 43 records examining the CSA–offending association and that satisfied our methodological criteria for inclusion in the review. In conclusion, CSA was associated with an increased risk for engaging in general and violent crime as a juvenile or adult, compared to individuals without an abuse history; however, ambiguities concerning the CSA–sexual offending relationship remain. Consistent with ecological and transactional models, a multitude of factors appeared to influence the CSA–offending relationship. Implications for the prevention of criminal behaviour, and recommendations for future research are discussed. Highlights • Most child sex abuse victims do not commit crimes as a juvenile or adult. • Child sex abuse victims are often more likely to commit crimes than non-abused people. • There is not enough rigorous evidence to confirm or refute a sexually abused-sexual abuser link. • Many other risk factors influence whether child sex abuse victims will commit crimes. • Early, trauma-informed intervention may be needed to prevent offending in some victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex composition of groups has been theorized in organizational sociology and found in prior work to structure female and male members' behaviors and experiences. Peer group and gang literature similarly finds that the sex gap in offending varies across groups of differing sex ratios. Drawing on this and other research linking gang membership, offending, and victimization, we examine whether sex composition of gangs is linked to sex differences in offending in this sample, further assess whether sex composition similarly structures females' and males' victimization experiences, and if so, why. Self-report data from gang members in a multi-site, longitudinal study of 3,820 youths are employed. Results support previous findings about variations in member delinquency by both sex and sex composition of the gang and also indicate parallel variations in members' victimization. These results are further considered within the context of facilitating effects such as gender dynamics, gang characteristics, and normative orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that violent victimization and offending often overlap, and that both outcomes may be related to a risky lifestyle. The author therefore aimed to examine the associations between a risky lifestyle and the probability of being involved in violence as a victim only, offender only, or as a victim-offender, compared with being a total abstainer. In multinomial logistic regression models with data from a sample of adolescents (N = 490), a risky lifestyle was related to a higher probability of crime involvement across all groups compared with total abstainers. However, the significance of specific indicators of a risky lifestyle varied across the different outcomes. Spending a lot of time in the city center at night and frequently being inebriated were related to a higher risk of being a victim only, whereas peer deviance increased the risk for being an offender only. Frequent exposure to criminogenic settings and often being inebriated were related to a higher risk of being a victim-offender. The results indicate that studies on crime involvement and lifestyle must consider each kind of involvement separately. However, not many girls were involved in violent crime as offenders only or victim-offenders, indicating that girls may have risky lifestyles without committing acts of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing evidence clearly supports an empirical connection between offending and victimization. Often called the "victim-offender overlap," this relationship holds for both sexes, across the life course, and across a wide range of countries and cultural environments. In addition, the relationship is sustained regardless of the study sample and statistical methods applied in the analyses of the sample data. However, there has yet to be a study that examines this relationship for violent and property crime using quasi-experimental methods accounting for a wide range of potential confounders including individual differences and cultural contexts. This study subjects the victim-offender relationship to testing through propensity score matching for both violent and property crimes using an international dataset. The results show that previous violent and theft offending increases the odds of victimization when matching on individual and contextual factors. This finding supports previous literature and suggests that delinquent behavior may act as a "switch" that exposes one to subsequent violent and theft victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is widely believed that risk assessment tools can help manage risk of violence and offending, it is unclear what evidence exists to support this view. As such, we conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis. To identify studies, we searched 13 databases, reviewed reference lists, and contacted experts. Through this review, we identified 73 published and unpublished studies (N = 31,551 psychiatric patients and offenders, N = 10,002 professionals) that examined either professionals' risk management efforts following the use of a tool, or rates of violence or offending following the implementation of a tool. These studies included a variety of populations (e.g., adults, adolescents), tools, and study designs. The primary findings were as follows: (a) despite some promising findings, professionals do not consistently adhere to tools or apply them to guide their risk management efforts; (b) following the use of a tool, match to the risk principle is moderate and match to the needs principle is limited, as many needs remained unaddressed; (c) there is insufficient evidence to conclude that tools directly reduce violence or reoffending, as findings are mixed; and (d) tools appear to have a more beneficial impact on risk management when agencies use careful implementation procedures and provide staff with training and guidelines related to risk management. In sum, although risk assessment tools may be an important starting point, they do not guarantee effective treatment or risk management. However, certain strategies may bolster their utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Historical Clinical Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) is utilised internationally to assess an individual's risk for violence. Despite being widely administered in Australian correctional and forensic populations, the predictive validity of the HCR-20 instrument has never been explored in Australian settings. This retrospective study investigated the predictive validity of the HCR-20 for an Australian cohort of 136 forensic psychiatric patients. Findings support the relationship between the HCR-20 and violent offending post hospital discharge. The HCR-20 Total, Historical, and Risk Management scales shared moderate to large positive correlations with several reconviction categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a range of complex neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Over the last decade, there has been increased media attention focused on the relationship between ASD and violent behavior due to a number of school shootings and high-profile criminal cases involving offenders with alleged ASD diagnoses. This coverage and these incidents have given rise to public concern and led to the perception that people with ASD are predisposed to violent behavior. In this manuscript, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature bearing on the relationship between ASD and violent behavior, and in doing so, characterize which people with ASD are most likely to be violent and under what circumstances. We conclude that, on the whole, while research findings are mixed, they lend support to the assertion that ASD does not cause violence, and indicate that when violent behavior occurs in people with ASD, it is the result of third variables including poor parental control, family environment, criminality, bullying, or psychiatric comorbidity (e.g., psychosis), that go undetected or untreated. The conclusions of this review have implications for families, clinicians, and policy makers, as a greater understanding of ASD-related violence risk is needed to combat misconceptions about people with ASD and the stigma associated with these conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although female gang membership was overlooked for several years, recent work by feminist criminologists has provided a much more complex picture of female youth involved in gang life. This literature demonstrates that gender shapes the risk factors and consequences of gang involvement for female youth in several ways. In the current review, four main areas are discussed: 1) risk factors for female youths' gang involvement, 2) the extent and characteristics of female gang members' violence and crime, 3) the influence of gender on victimization experiences resulting from gang membership, and 4) female gang members' desistance from gang life. In each section, work specifically focusing on female gang members as well as work comparing the experiences of male and female gang members are presented. Finally, directions for future research are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The relationship between exposure to violence and adverse behavioral outcomes is well-documented. But, heterogeneity in this relationship across different operational strategies for exposure to violence is less well understood. This study examines the effects of repeat victimization, exposure to different types of violence, and poly-victimization on property crime, violent offending, and substance use. Methods We analyze two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health ( N = 12,603). We operationalize exposure to violence as: a dichotomous indicator of overall occurrence; exposure to multiple incidents of violence (repeat exposure); types of exposure to violence (witnessed, threatened, and experienced violence); and poly-victimization (i.e., repeat exposure to violence and exposure to multiple types of violence). Results Exposure to violence – regardless of how it is measured – increases offending risk. The strongest effects are observed for poly-victimization, followed by repeat exposure to violence and exposure to a single episode of violence. There is little variation in effect sizes across types of exposure to violence. Conclusions The results speak to the utility of preventing the onset of exposure to violence and addressing ongoing exposure to violence in order to interrupt the link between exposure to violence and offending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]