How to Improve the YLS/CMI? Exploring a Particularly Predictive Combination of Items

Abstract

Recidivism risk assessment is central to addressing criminogenic needs among youth offenders. To accomplish this, the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) is worldwide used, but it is long and has limited predictive validity for minority populations. This study presents a particularly predictive combination of seven items that overcomes these limitations. A sample of 430 Spanish youth offenders participated in this study. The YLS/CMI long version was filled out and reconvictions were collected over a 2-year period. Results show that this combination of seven items reduced more than 80% of the inventory and improved the predictive validity, globally and for minorities. The items that were included were related to psychopathic traits and the lack of protective role models. Therefore, this specific combination of YLS/CMI items has considerable higher predictive validity across gender and culture, and may be useful to practitioners in this field.

Is a 7-Item Combination from the YLS/CMI an Effective Screening Strategy for Risk to Reoffend? Findings from a Cross-National Study

“…The 7-item score was calculated by subtracting the score for the strength item from the total of the risk items. Villanueva et al (2020) found that the total 7-item score was significantly related to reoffense, yielding AUC values of .83 for the overall sample of youth and .79 for youth from ethnic minorities. These seven items, which cover content from five of the eight YLS/CMI domains, were empirically determined as the items with the strongest unique relationship to recidivism among the 42 risk items and seven strength items that compose the YLS/CMI.…”

“…These and other factors may shape the importance of each predictor across these countries (Muncie, 2001). However, there is some evidence that the specific combination of these seven items may be less affected by cultural issues than previous screening versions (see Villanueva et al, 2020). For example, alcohol abuse (one of the YLS/CMI domains not represented in the 7-item screening strategy) is not a risk factor for recidivism among Muslim populations in Spain, as shown in the work by Villanueva et al (2019b).…”

“…Recently, Villanueva et al (2020) reported a combination of seven items from the YLS/CMI full version that, together, may work as a better screening strategy than the previously proposed shortened versions. The screening strategy was developed in a Spanish sample of approximately 400 justice-involved youths.…”

“…All seven items are included in any YLS/CMI version (see Tables 1 and 2 in the Results section for the specific items). As a set, these items are characterized by several strengths, including their dynamic nature, the inclusion of a protective item, and a minimal cross-cultural influence (Villanueva et al, 2020). In addition, they are clearly consistent with the same underlying theoretical principles that make up the YLS/CMI, such that criminal actions are the result of the dynamic interaction between factors that predispose individuals to antisocial actions and environmental factors that promote or deter those same antisocial tendencies.…”

Assessing the Interactions between Strengths and Risk Factors of Recidivism through the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY)

“…The judicial case could have been opened because of a complaint, or directly by the public prosecuting authority. The study period for criminal recidivism were the two years following the baseline calendar year for all youths [27][28][29][30]. The prior criminal record was measured by reference to the presence of a judicial case in the youth's judicial record.…”