Findings from Swinburne University of Technology Broaden Understanding of Psychology Crime and Law (Convergent and Predictive Validity of the Sexual Violence Risk-20 and Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol With Older Sexual Offenders).

A study conducted by researchers at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, examined the reliability and predictive validity of two assessment tools, the Sexual Violence Risk-20 (SVR-20) and the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP), with a sample of 95 older Australian individuals who had sexually offended. The study found that these tools did not significantly differentiate between recidivists and non-recidivists in this sample, contrary to results with younger offenders. However, certain risk factors were identified as potentially important and accounted for unique variance not captured by actuarial instruments. The study discusses the implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research and practice. [Extracted from the article]