Deck 6: From Dangerousness to Risk Assessment: Violence, Sexual Offending, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Suicide

Question 1

The concept of "risk" includes judgments about the

A)likelihood of a future hazard.
B)seriousness of future hazards.
C)nature of future hazards.
D)All of the above

Answer 1

All of the above

Question 2

Predictions based on the experience and judgments of professionals in the field are referred to as

A)statistical predictions.
B)clinical predictions.
C)actuarial predictions.
D)anamnestic predictions.

Answer 2

clinical predictions.

Question 3

Describe the arguments about the relative strengths and weaknesses of actuarial and clinical predictions.

Answer 3

no answer

Question 4

Roughly,how likely is a sex offender to re-offend? A child molester (heterosexual or homosexual)? What are some problems with these percentages?

Question 5

Predictions about future dangerousness,for death penalty trial purposes,are

A)objective.
B)intuitive.
C)unbiased.
D)unclinical.

Question 6

Research has shown that ___________ predictions have equaled or surpassed ___________ predictions in accuracy.

A)clinical;actuarial
B)actuarial;clinical
C)clinical;anamnestic
D)anamnestic;clinical

Question 7

Describe the case of Barefoot v.Estelle.How was the American Psychiatric Association involved in this case?

Question 8

Predictions based on a statistical scheme or formula are referred to as

A)statistical predictions.
B)clinical predictions.
C)actuarial predictions.
D)anamnestic predictions.

Question 9

Explain the concept of a base rate as it relates to predictions of suicide. 

Question 10

Differentiate among static,dynamic,and risk management predictors.

Question 11

What are the three predictive schemes in psychological assessment?

Question 12

What are the four levels of risk factors for child abuse (Belsky)?

Question 13

What are the "risk markers" for domestic violence? What instruments can be used to predict domestic abuse?

Question 14

What sort of factors may predict future risk?

Question 15

Describe the four tools for assessing,or classifying,sex offenders.

Question 16

How has the methodology for risk assessment changed? Give examples.

Question 17

Predictions based on a specific analysis of how a particular person has behaved in the past in similar situations are referred to as

A)statistical predictions.
B)clinical predictions.
C)actuarial predictions.
D)anamnestic predictions.

Question 18

What sort of scales or 'checklists' are used in risk assessment? Which is the best predictor of future violence?

Question 19

How have psychological predictions of dangerousness evolved since the beginning of the 20th century? Give a timeline of the important events.

Question 20

Define the term risk assessment.

Question 21

For child molesters,the average rate of reconviction is

A)0.4%.
B)14.8%.
C)20.4%.
D)40.2%.

Question 22

Psychopaths are people who repeatedly commit criminal acts and

A)suffer extreme moral consequences because of their actions.
B)feel no real remorse.
C)are sexually aroused during the process.
D)are generally very kind,giving people.

Question 23

The reconviction rate for homosexual child molesters is roughly __________ the rate for heterosexual child molesters.

A)1/3
B)1/2
C)double
D)triple

Question 24

Dr.Grigson's participation in Thomas Barefoot's trial was controversial because

A)Grigson was not a licensed psychiatrist.
B)Grigson had not interviewed Thomas Barefoot.
C)Grigson's research did not meet the Daubert standard.
D)Grigson's conclusions were based solely on clinical tests.

Question 25

Dangerousness had been conceptualized as a ________ variable,while risk assessment is a ________ variable.

A)independent;dependent
B)dependent;independent
C)continuous;dichotomous
D)dichotomous;continuous

Question 26

What is NOT a criticism of the SORAG?

A)Some of the factors have received little empirical support.
B)It was developed by sociologists and not psychologists.
C)The sample it was based on only included Canadian subjects.
D)The applicability of the research has been questioned.

Question 27

In Baxstrom v.Herold,the Supreme Court held that

A)holding offenders in a mental institute after their sentences are complete is a violation of the equal protection clause.
B)releasing defendants before their sentences are complete puts an unnecessary risk upon society.
C)confining individuals to a mental institute equals cruel and unusual punishment.
D)civil commitments of offenders,after they have served their sentence,are unconstitutional.

Question 28

What is NOT a problem when looking at risk of recidivism?

A)The mistrust law enforcement has of psychologists
B)Police records underestimating crime
C)How to define recidivism
D)The fact some criminals are never released from prison

Question 29

The amicus brief submitted by The American Psychiatric Association in Barefoot v Estelle supported the claim that psychiatrists

A)cannot reliably predict dangerousness.
B)can reliably predict dangerousness.
C)are better than laypeople at predicting dangerousness.
D)are worse than laypeople at predicting dangerousness.

Question 30

Which of the following items is NOT part of the Static-99?

A)Prior sexual offenses
B)Young age
C)Obsessive behaviors
D)Any male victims

Question 31

In Jurek v.Texas,428 U.S.262 (1976),the Supreme Court ruled

A)psychiatrists and psychologists cannot testify on dangerousness.
B)only psychiatrists or psychologists can testify on dangerousness.
C)dangerousness is an acceptable criterion for imposing the death penalty.
D)dangerousness is NOT an acceptable criterion for imposing the death penalty.

Question 32

Predictors that focus on things that change over time and situation are

A)static
B)dynamic
C)risk management
D)actuarial

Question 33

The Sex Offender Risk Approval Guide (SORAG) includes both ___________ and __________ variables

A)static;risk management
B)static;dynamic
C)risk management;dynamic
D)risk management;actuarial

Question 34

An increase in _____ methods improves the accuracy of risk assessment.

A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)clinical
D)actuarial

Question 35

For convicted rapists,the average rate of reconviction is

A)2.8%.
B)12.8%.
C)22.8%.
D)82.2%.

Question 36

A psychotic symptom is an example of a __________ predictor.

A)static
B)dynamic
C)risk management
D)actuarial

Question 37

A history of prior violence is an example of a __________ predictor.

A)static
B)dynamic
C)risk management
D)actuarial

Question 38

Psychopathy _________ to repeat criminality and violence.

A)has a strong positive relationship
B)has a slight positive relationship
C)is not at all related to
D)has a slight negative relationship

Question 39

Having a mental disorder

A)dramatically increases your risk for violence.
B)slightly increases your risk for violence.
C)slightly decreases your risk for violence.
D)has no effect on your risk for violence.

Question 40

The Rapid Risk Assessment of Sexual Recidivism (RRASOR) has been criticized for only focusing on ___________ variables

A)static
B)dynamic
C)risk management
D)actuarial

Question 41

Which of the following was NOT listed as a possible risk factor for domestic violence?

A)Experience of family violence as a child
B)Large age difference between partners
C)Demographic differences between partners
D)Alcohol abuse

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT one of Belsky's ecological risk factors for child abuse?

A)Ontogenic level
B)Phylogenic level
C)Microsystem level
D)Cultural level

Question 43

According to Chapter 6,in 2004 ______________ reports of child maltreatment were filed in the United States.

A)3 million
B)300,000
C)30,000
D)3,000

Question 44

Attempting to prevent child abuse before it occurs is known as

A)primary prevention.
B)secondary prevention.
C)tertiary prevention.
D)quarterly prevention.

Question 45

Which of the following are NOT related to wife assault?

A)Measures of anger
B)Traditional sex-role attitudes
C)Stress
D)None of the above are related to wife assault.

Question 46

A better predictor of suicidal behavior than depression is

A)helplessness.
B)hopelessness.
C)hostility.
D)negative self-evaluation.

Question 47

What is NOT a critical item included in the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA)?

A)Employment problems
B)Psychotic or manic symptoms
C)Adherence to traditional sex-roles
D)Substance abuse

Question 48

The rate with which an event occurs in the population at large is called the

A)base rate.
B)statistical rate.
C)clinical rate.
D)zero rate.