The present study investigated the relationship between criminal psychopathy and violent behavior. Groups were defined according to psychopathy ratings (Hare's Psychopathy Checklist) and violence. Psychopaths scored higher than nonpsychopaths on measures of impulsiveness and aggressiveness, and they were more likely than other inmates to behave aggressively, to have committed more serious past offenses, to have used weapons, threats and instrumental aggression, and to have suffered physical abuse as a child. When presented with hypothetical situations that involved a frustrating outcome, psychopaths reported that they would be more angry than nonpsychopaths, and they attributed greater hostile intent to others. Violent psychopaths were seen as qualitatively different than violent nonpsychopaths in their use of violence, yet they did not differ in terms of the seriousness of their index offense.

A dynamic risk factor is a variable that can change across time, and as it changes, there is a corresponding change in the likelihood of the outcome. In corrections, there is evidence for dynamic risk factors when relatively more proximal reassessments enhance predictive validity for recidivism. In this article, we tested the proximity hypothesis with longitudinal, multiple-reassessment data gathered from 3,421 individuals supervised on parole in New Zealand (N ϭ 68,667 assessments of theoretically dynamic risk factors conducted by corrections case managers). In this sample, reassessments consistently improved prediction as demonstrated by (1) incremental prediction over initial baseline scores and (2) improved model fit of the most recent assessment compared with the average of earlier scores. These results contribute to a growing body of evidence that support community corrections agencies conducting repeated assessments of the risk for imminent recidivism using a dynamic risk instrument. Public Significance StatementCorrections agencies should regularly reassess risk for recidivism during parole because updated assessments are more accurate than prior assessments. Promoting personal and situational changes related to patterns of reducing risk in the community should be a core objective for psychologists and other professionals engaged with the successful reintegration of individuals with a history of crime.

Prior research focusing on crime acquisition and crime desistance has advanced the theoretical understanding of the psychology of crime and overcome many of the practical challenges of crime management. This paper, however, aims to encourage more detailed examination of the process through which offenders transition from crime to desistance. Desistance occurs when external and internal variables align in such a way that an offender with a history of multiple offences ceases all criminal activity. It is argued that systematic examination of behaviour change among offenders will complement current approaches to offender rehabilitation, risk assessment and community supervision. Previous research on crime acquisition, crime desistance and behaviour change are briefly reviewed. In addition, the theoretical assumptions of leading models of rehabilitation are examined. Finally, strategies to further integrate various research findings are discussed and several broad research hypotheses are offered.

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The predictive validity of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was compared with 3actuarial risk scales in a sample of 81 offenders followed for a maximum of 67 months (average of 30 months). The recommittal or general recidivism rate for the entire sample was 57% (40% for nonpsychopaths, 51.2% for a mixed group, and 85% for psychopaths). The violent reoffense rate was 10% for the sample (nonpsychopaths 0%, mixed Z3%, psychopaths 25%). All instruments were significantly correlated with general recidivism; however, the PCL-R was the best predictor of violent recidivism. Compared to the actuarial scales, the PCL-R had a higher predictive efficiency (Relative Improvement Over Chance (RIOC)) and yielded fewer decision errors. Most importantly, Factor 1 was a better predictor of violent recidivism than Factor 2, suggesting that the trait construct of psychopathy makes a unique contribution to the prediction of violent recidivism.

The present study investigated 154 consecutive admissions to the Regional Treatment Center (Ontario) Sex Offender Treatment Program with reference to psychopathy and outcome. Ratings of treatment behavior, as well as clinical judgments as to whether risk was reduced, were coded based on treatment reports. With reference to Psychopathy Checklist-revised (PCL-R) scores, survival analyses indicated that high scorers recidivated at significantly higher rates than low scorers. However, offenders who received high PCL-R scores and lower scores on measures of treatment behavior recidivated at the same rate as low scorers on the PCL-R. Furthermore, among high PCL-R offenders, those rated as lower risk at post treatment in fact reoffended at a lower rate than those whose risk was rated as unchanged, although this difference failed to reach significance. Findings are discussed in light of the clinical and research literature.

A sample of 68 incarcerated sexual offenders for whom assessments of psychopathy and sexual deviance were available were followed up postrelease for 7 years to determine (a) rates of recidivism, (b) discriminant and predictive ability of psychopathy and sexual deviance, and (c) degree of incremental predictive utility of grouping offenders based on extreme combinations of psychopathy and sexual deviance. The results confirm previous research, which suggests that general recidivism and sex offender typologies are differentiated using information on psychopathy. Rapists and child molesters were differentiated based on measures of deviant sexual arousal. Although some of the results are speculative with respect to the groups based on extreme cutoffs, the trends support this proposal. Those who displayed more psychopathic characteristics and deviant sexual arousal recidivated sooner and at significantly higher rates. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for the provisions of assessment and intervention strategies and for providing recommendations regarding prescriptive treatment.

Additional construct validity of Hare's Psychopathy Checklist (PCL) was sought by comparing empirically derived predictors of recidivism with PCL scores among 93 inmates who were first released on temporary absences and subsequently followed on parole. The PCL proved to be reliable and a more efficient predictor of release outcome than an empirically derived predictive index. Psychopathy ratings predicted outcome for both temporary absence and parole release. PCL scores and actuarial prediction scales of recidivism were found to be highly correlated, even after deleting overlapping items. In addition, psychopathy was significantly related to mean time before recommittal. Significant differences between nonpsychopaths and psychopaths were also found when unequal follow-up time was controlled. Psychopaths were recommitted 4 times more frequently than nonpsychopaths.