Chapter 13: Assessing Risk
Balbir Gurm and Glaucia Salgado
- The use of Risk Assessment Tools can aid professionals in their response to enhance the safety of victims and their children.
- Risk assessment is important for case planning. If not used carefully, it can be discriminatory and cause harm to individuals, families and communities.
- A number of risk assessment tools are used in Canada and around the world. Assessors need to keep in mind the objective, group, culture and intersectionality when selecting tools.
- Research suggests there are some factors that increase the risk to re-offend. These include mental illness, history of complaints with the victim, violation of no-contact order, and continued contact between perpetrator and victim.
Relationship violence is any form of physical, emotional, spiritual and financial abuse, negative social control or coercion that is suffered by anyone that has a bond or relationship with the offender. In the literature, we find words such as intimate partner violence (IPV), neglect, dating violence, family violence, battery, child neglect, child abuse, bullying, seniors or elder abuse, male violence, stalking, cyberbullying, strangulation, technology-facilitated coercive control, honour killing, female genital mutilation gang violence and workplace violence. In couples, violence can be perpetrated by women and men in opposite-sex relationships (Carney et al., 2007), within same-sex relationships (Rollè et al., 2018) and in relationships where the victim is LGBTQ2SIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two-Spirit, intersex and asexual plus (The Scottish Trans Alliance, 2010; Rollè et al., 2018). Relationship violence is a result of multiple impacts such as taken for granted inequalities, policies and practices that accept sexism, racism, ageism, xenophobia and homophobia. It can span the entire age spectrum. It may start in-utero and end with death.
Risk Assessment
To address RV, it is important to be able to determine individual risk. There are a number of risk assessment tools for different populations. A common criticism is that assessment tools often take a Eurocentric approach and may not be able to fully appreciate or assess complex risk factors in cross-cultural contexts. If not used carefully, they can be discriminatory and cause harm to individuals, families and communities. It is important to apply these assessments taking into account guiding principles that are often outlined in legislation and policy. Risk assessment is important in order to do case planning.
In this chapter, we try to bring together knowledge about risk assessment and provide empirical evidence. Click here to understand why it is important to assess risk of RV. A summary of vulnerable populations, risk assessment, risk management and safety planning can be found in Table 13.1 (Jeffery et al., 2018). Also, a number of risk assessment tools are used in Canada and around the world. Click here to see the inventory of assessment tools used in Canada. Click here to read a good summary of risk assessment models. Murphy & McDonnell (2006) review how to assess and respond to the risk of RV. Locally, the Burnaby RCMP requested a group of researchers to identify characteristics that lead to re-offending. They found increased risk due to mental illness (8 times), history of complaints with the victim (2.5 times), violation of no-contact order (15 times), and continued contact with the offender (3 times) (McCormick et al., 2011).
Table 13.1 Summary of Vulnerabilities and Findings Regarding Risk Assessment, Risk Management, and Safety Planning Across the Four Vulnerable Populations (Jeffrey, N., Fairbairn, J., Campbell, M., Dawson, M., Jaffe, P. & Straatman, A-L. (2018). Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations (CDHPIVP) Literature Review on Risk Assessment, Risk Management and Safety Planning. Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative.
Population | Risk Management | Safety Planning |
Indigenous |
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Rural, Remote, & Northern (RRN) |
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Immigrant & Refugee (IR) |
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Children Experiencing Domestic Violence |
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Population | Vulnerabilities | Risk Assessment |
Indigenous |
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Rural, Remote, & Northern (RRN) |
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Immigrant & Refugee (IR) |
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Children Experiencing Domestic Violence |
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Spousal Violence
Click here to find the inventory of spousal violence assessment tools in different jurisdictions in Canada (Department of Justice Canada, 2013). To read a report created for Justice Canada on tools, click here (Millar et al., 2013). These tools are used to identify offender risk. Roehl et al. (2005) assessed the validity of the following evaluation tools: the Danger Assessment (DA), DV-MOSAIC, Domestic Violence Screening Instrument (DVSI), Kingston Screening Instrument for Domestic Violence (K-SID) and (two questions inquiring about the) victim’s perception. They found the DA performs the best followed by the victim’s perceptions. You may read the full report here.
In the UK, the MARAC Model is used. It is a risk assessment conference with multi-agencies. To learn more click here.
From the literature, we identify those with empirical evidence that follow an established violence risk strategy (Douglas et al., 2014). These tools must have a correlation between the identification of risk factors in determining recommendations and strategies to manage these risks. There is little agreement in the literature on how and by whom risk assessment tools should be implemented. You can find below the validity and reliability of eight assessment tools that were evaluated in 2012 and one in 2019. These are summaries from the Partner Abuse State of Knowledge Project (Hamel, 2012) and one from Australia (FVRAT).
Table 13.2 – Measurement Tools to Assess Relationship Violence
MEASUREMENT TOOLS | Score | Summary | For more information |
Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) | 0.64 – 0.77 | Predicting recidivism was good to excellent. | ODARA screening tool form (Hilton et al., 2010). |
Domestic Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (DVRAG) | AUC = 0.70 (p < .001) | The inter-rater reliability for both instruments was excellent. However, only one study reported the cited AUC value. |
Please, contact Nzoe Hilton
zhilton@mhcp.on.ca |
The Domestic Violence Screening Inventory (DVSI) and Domestic Violence Screening Inventory-Revised (DVSI-R) | AUC range 0.61 – 0.71 | Good predictors of new family violence incidents and IPV recurrence | Please, contact Joseph DiTunno at Joseph.DiTunno@j ud.ct.govA write up on DVSI-R |
Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) and Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG) | AUC 0.66 – 0.71 and 0.67 – 0.75 | Were examined in three studies, neither of which are IPV specific. | Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (Quinsey et al., 2006) |
The Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) and Level of Service Inventory – Ontario. Revision (LSI-OR) | AUC 0.50 and 0.73 (in both) | Discussed in four articles, both of which were predicting IPV recidivism. | Girard & Wormith (2004) |
Spousal Assault Risk Assessment guide (SARA) | AUC 0.52 – 0.65 | The interrater reliability (IRR) for the SARA was excellent for total scores, good for the summary risk ratings, and poor for the critical items. | (Kropp & Gibas, 2010)
SARA research summary |
Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk (B-SAFER) | No article examined the B-SAFER predictive validity, but one did report the IRR based on 12 cases with a mean interclass coefficient (ICC) of 0.57. | Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation Risk
B-Safer document on the development and pilot from Justice Canada |
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The Danger Assessment (DA) | It has the largest body of literature behind it, but there are limitations in the research that inhibit a precise determination of the psychometric properties of the measure thus far. Victim appraisals of the risk of future IPV show some evidence of predictive accuracy; however, further research is needed to determine the best means with which to collect the victim’s reports and determining the conditions (e.g., stalking) and characteristics of victims that should be considered (e.g., PTSD, substance use). | The Danger Assessment tool
(Campbell, 2009). |
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A research scale for the assessment of psychopathy in criminal populations (HARE) | Reliability > 0.85 | This is an assessment tool that serves to help to identify an individual’s characteristics of psychopathy. It is suggested not to be used as a single tool of assessment. | (Hare, 1980) |
A refined version of the Family Violence Risk Assessment Tool (FVRAT) | Four-fifths of high-risk and low-risk DV cases were correctly classified (83%) | It helps identify repeat risk. | Download the full report on the tool from this site |
There does not seem to be a single superior tool, and there is modest predictive accuracy for most tools. The authors conclude more research is needed. Assessors need to keep in mind the objective, group, culture and intersectionality when selecting tools. Hanson et al. (2007) conducted a meta-analysis on risk assessment for Public Safety Canada and found that the victim’s assessment of risk is similar to predictive tools and that no tool is clearly more accurate than another. Read the full report here. Northcott (n.d.) conducted a review of domestic violence tools for Justice Canada. She looked at the purpose of tools, types of tools and ways tools can use in decision-making. Her report can be accessed here.
As well, there are checklists for those in the domestic violence system. These checklists help community response teams to improve their efforts. The Battered Women Justice Project has collated checklists click here.
Older Adults
A number of tools, including the literature review by Storey (2020), identified risk factors that make older adults more vulnerable and the offender more likely to continue to abuse. Also, he conducted a thorough literature review and created the Elder Abuse Risk Level Index (EARLI), so that those working with older adults could identify risk and intervene. Storey states that earlier risk assessment tools are not based on empirical research. At the time of publication, the EARLI had not been tested. In addition, he recommends that practitioners use the risk and vulnerability factors below to conduct a full assessment (Storey, 2020).
Table 13.3 – Summary criteria for elder abuse risk and vulnerability factors (Storey, 2020, p. 4)
Factors | Perpetrator risk factor criteria | Victim vulnerability factor criteria |
1. Problems with physical health | a) Illness such as chronic illness, physical disability, poor health and recent declines in health.
b) Functional impairment related to Activities and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, such as grooming and meal preparation, respectively. |
Same criteria as perpetrators, with the added concern that victims will not be able to contact help when needed. |
2. Problems with mental health |
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Same criteria as perpetrators. |
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a) Serious problems with health, occupational, financial, social, or legal functioning resulting from the use of illegal substances or the misuse of legal substances (e.g., alcohol, prescribed medications). | The same criteria as perpetrators, with the additional criteria that use, may impair the victim’s ability to protect themselves. |
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Serious problems with minimization of and inconsistent attitudes toward the perpetrator, their behaviour, and the risks they pose. |
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a) Previous abuse experienced or witnessed during childhood or adolescence. | Previous abuse experienced or witnessed during the lifetime, other than the current episode of elder abuse by the perpetrator. |
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Children
Identifying the risk of relationship violence for children is complex. Social workers are tasked on behalf of governments and child welfare agencies to assess risk among children in their families. As with adults, children are at greater risk at the time of parental separation. Social workers must interview family members and weigh the vulnerability factors against the protective factors using their personal experience and knowledge to determine if the child is safe in a home. Department of Justice (2016) in Canada has identified 2 scales (Ages and Stages Social-Emotional (AS-SEQ) Questionnaire and Children Exposed to Domestic Violence Scale) for children and both of these have been shown to be effective in a 2018 systematic review of Socio-Emotional Screening for Young Children in Welfare by McCrae & Brown (2018). A table with all the instruments reviewed can be found in the link McCrae and Brown Social-Emotional Screening Tools. Department of Justice Canada (2013) identifies a third tool to use with children, the Danger Assessment mentioned earlier because children are often in danger because of spousal violence.
Ravi and Tonui (2020) did a systematic review to assess the reliability and validity of the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) Scale. Their final sample included 13 studies. They found good reliability across populations (0.79-0.97) and some evidence of concurrent validity (it compares well with a measure that is effective) but no evidence of factor validity (that it actually measures what is intended to measure). They state the scale should be used by social workers to identify relevant actions, but it should continue to be researched.
McTavish et al. (2020) reviewed instruments used to identify maltreatment They narrowed the review to 19 articles representing 18 studies. The studies included various assessment strategies including three instruments: 1) the SPUTOVAMO checklist, 2) the Escape instrument, and 3) a 6-item screening questionnaire for child sex trafficking. They found that the tools were ineffective because they either identified false negatives or false positives (McTavish et al., 2020). They were not a good measurement.
In the United States, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network-NCTSN (n.d.) was established in 1980 with a mission to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States. The NCTSN has a list of 72 different inventories and scales. It is a list of evaluation data. Unfortunately, they do not list the two scales from the Justice Canada site. Only some of the inventories are free to access. The site itself is a good resource.
References
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