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Background: The ARMIDILO-S is advocated as a promising tool for assessing dynamic risk factors in sex offenders with intellectual disabilities (SOIDs). However, research remains scarce. The present study aimed to further validate this instrument in SOIDs. Method: The study prospectively followed 38 SOIDs for up to one year to test the accuracy of the ARMIDILO-S in predicting violent and sexual incidents. Results: Overall predictive accuracy was moderate to high. The ARMIDILO-S further showed excellent prospective qualities in identifying both high-risk and low-risk offenders for violence. Regarding sexual offending, it was only good at prospectively detecting low-risk individuals. Conclusions: This study provided further evidence of the good predictive validity of the ARMIDILO-s in predicting future sexual and violent incidents in SOIDs. More research in preferably larger samples as well as field validity studies are recommended.

Background: One of the most extensively tested risk assessment instruments in offenders with an intellectual disability (OIDs) is the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG). The purpose of this prospective study was to test the ability of this instrument to predict institutional aggression in OIDs. Method: VRAG scores were collected for 52 OIDs, and staff registered aggressive incidents during a period of 6 months. Predictive accuracy was analysed using several performance indicators. Results: The VRAG was not able to significantly predict aggressive behaviour, although a trend towards significance was found for interpersonal physical aggression. Furthermore, the VRAG was only accurate in prospectively identifying low-risk individuals. Conclusion: Compared to other studies, demonstrating good predictive validity for institutional aggression in OIDs, the VRAG performed poorly in this study. The usefulness of this instrument in identifying high- risk offenders is questioned. Until further evidence is available from studies using multiple performance indicators, clinicians have to be very careful in relying on the results of a risk assessment tool.

Research on risk assessment and risk management in offenders with intellectual disabilities (OIDs), although far behind compared to the mainstream offender literature, is now expanding. The current review provides an overview of the predictive value of risk assessment and treatment outcome monitoring tools developed for both mainstream forensic populations and OIDs. It is suggested that "mainstream" instruments have equal validity in OIDs, although studies in sex offenders show mixed results. In order to tackle specific criminogenic needs, unique characteristics of OIDs and their environment should be taken into account, which are addressed in ID-specific tools. Evidence regarding the added value and validity of these tools is however still preliminary.

The ARMIDILO-S is advocated as a promising tool for assessing dynamic risk factors in sex offenders with intellectual disabilities (SOIDs). However, research remains scarce. The present study aimed to further validate this instrument in SOIDs. The study prospectively followed 38 SOIDs for up to one year to test the accuracy of the ARMIDILO-S in predicting violent and sexual incidents. Overall predictive accuracy was moderate to high. The ARMIDILO-S further showed excellent prospective qualities in identifying both high-risk and low-risk offenders for violence. Regarding sexual offending, it was only good at prospectively detecting low-risk individuals. This study provided further evidence of the good predictive validity of the ARMIDILO-s in predicting future sexual and violent incidents in SOIDs. More research in preferably larger samples as well as field validity studies are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence is a common phenomenon both in regular and forensic psychiatric settings, and has a profound impact on staff and other patients. Insight into the individual risk factors associated with violence in forensic psychiatric settings is rare and is therefore the subject of this research. A retrospective file study in three medium security units in Flanders was conducted to compare non-violent inpatients with inpatients who engaged in (verbal and physical) violent behavior. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to examine which variables contributed independently to the risk of violence. The results showed that absconding during treatment was independently associated with physical violence. A personality disorder diagnosis and general non-compliance with treatment were associated with verbal violence. Both types of violence predicted early termination of treatment. Contrary to previous research, the results from the risk assessment tools were not associated with inpatient violence. Clinical implications are discussed and include, among others, that clinicians should remain vigilant for early warning signs of non-compliance during treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structured risk assessment has become a part of routine practice in forensic settings. However, little attention has been paid to the clinical applicability of existing tools. The present research focused on the performance of the Historical Clinical Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) – one of the most commonly used tools for structured professional judgment – in the daily practice of three medium security units in Flanders. Areas under the curve for the prediction of violent recidivism during (N = 168) and after (N = 105) medium security treatment were non-significant. In addition, analyses showed that the HCR-20 was mainly of interest in identifying low-risk individuals. Further research measuring different aspects of predictive validity in applied settings is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]