The Utility of the SASSI‐3 in Early Detection of Substance Use Disorders in Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity Acquittees: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Previous studies have shown the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory‐3 (G. Miller, 1999) to be valid in classifying substance use disorders in forensic and mentally ill populations. The authors found that it also correctly classified substance use disorders in the understudied not guilty by reason of insanity population.

The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory–3 and Stages of Change: A Screening Validity Study

“…The SASSI‐3 is the most frequently used commercial screening instrument among master addictions counselors (Juhnke, Vacc, Curtis, Coll, & Paredes, 2003). The SASSI‐3 publication manual and subsequent psychometric research studies (Burck, Laux, Baker, Cochrane, & Ritchie, 2008; Burck, Laux, Harper, & Ritchie, 2010; Laux, Perera‐Diltz, Smirnoff, & Salyers, 2005; Laux, Salyers, & Bandfield, 2007; Laux, Salyers, & Kotova, 2005; Wright, Piazza, & Laux, 2008) reported SASSI‐3 reliability and validity estimates that exceeded those produced by instruments designed to measure the same constructs. However, debate has arisen regarding the SASSI‐3's criterion‐related validity in general as well as the utility of the instrument's subtle scales (Feldstein & Miller, 2007; Lazowski & Miller, 2007).…”

Hospital treatment of persons found not guilty by reason of insanity

“…(Palijan, Muzinic, and Radeljak, (2009) asserted the importance of identifying and treating comorbidities amongst this population, in particular substance use disorders, given the prevalence of substance use during the commission of index offenses. Validated clinical tools have been studied that can accurately identify substance use disorders amongst acquittees (Wright, 2006). This finding may prove particularly important for acquittees with an index offense of arson, as treatment non‐adherence, psychosis, and substance use have been found to be the most significant contributors to both the index offense and risk of recidivism, and thus important targets for treatment (Leong, Mueller, & Feldsher, 2019).…”