Evan C. McCuish

Critical Issues in the Assessment of Adolescent Psychopathy: An Illustration Using Two Case Studies

To explore critical issues in the conceptualization and assessment of adolescent psychopathy, we report on the use of the Youth Version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL:YV; Forth, Kosson, & Hare, 2003) and the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality-Institutional Rating Scale (CAPP-IRS; Cooke, Hart, Logan, & Michie, 2004)—both derived from procedures for assessing psychopathy in adulthood—to assess two incarcerated youth identified by clinical staff as demonstrating features of adolescent psychopathy. Consistent with the views of clinical staff, the PCL:YV and CAPP-IRS ratings indicated the presence of serious psychopathy-related personality disturbance in both cases. The PCL:YV and CAPP-IRS also revealed between-case differences in the specific nature or features of personality disturbance present, despite similarities in the overall level or severity of personality disturbance. Raters found it was relatively easy to administer the PCL:YV and the CAPP-IRS, although they identified some challenges, particularly with respect to the assessment of disturbance of self functions. Relative to the PCL:YV, which may be considered the gold standard for assessing the PCL:YV, the CAPP-IRS had some strengths and limitations. We discuss these findings in light of the literature on assessment of adolescent psychopathy and consider their implications for future research.

Examining Antisocial Behavioral Antecedents of Juvenile Sexual Offenders and Juvenile Non-Sexual Offenders.

In prospective longitudinal studies of juvenile offenders, the presence of multiple developmental pathways of antisocial behaviors has consistently been identified. An “antisocial” type of juvenile sex offender (JSO) has also been identified; however, whether antisocial JSOs follow different antisocial pathways has not been examined. In the current study, differences in antisocial pathways within JSOs and between JSOs and juvenile non-sex offenders (JNSOs) were examined. Data on Canadian male incarcerated adolescent offenders were used to identify whether behavioral antecedents differed within JSOs and between JSOs (n = 51) and JNSOs (n = 94). Using latent class analysis (LCA), three behavioral groups were identified. For both JSOs and JNSOs, there was a Low Antisocial, Overt, and Covert group. Overall, there were important within-group differences in the behavioral patterns of JSOs, but these differences resembled differences in the behavioral patterns of their JNSO counterpart. Risk factors including offense history, abuse history, and family history were more strongly associated with the Overt and Covert groups compared with the Low Antisocial group. Implications for JSO assessment practices were discussed.

The Search for Suitable Homicide Co-Offenders Among Gang Members

Little is known about homicide co-offending networks at the individual gang member level. Of particular interest is whether and to what degree gang members who are selected to participate in murder are different from those who are not. The current study constructed the co-offense network of 18 participants from the Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offender Study who were identified as members of a prominent gang within British Columbia, Canada, referred to as the BC Gang. This gang started to form not long before seven offenders together committed a homicide that was orchestrated by the founder and leader of the BC Gang. After this offense, some of these seven offenders became the most central actors within a large network of co-offenders (n = 137) that was measured at four time periods over a 20-year period. Over this period, a second murder, like the first, was orchestrated by the leader of the BC Gang, offering a rare glimpse into the co-offending recruitment decisions made by a high ranking gang member for two separate homicides. Although only 25% of the 137 co-offenders are BC gang members (n = 35), 100% of the offenders selected for a homicide were members of this gang (n = 13). The network contained 8 separate components at the final measurement period, but all 13 homicide offenders were connected to the same network component of 48 individuals.

A Criminal Career Study of the Continuity and Discontinuity of Sex Offending during the Adolescence-Adulthood Transition: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Incarcerated Youth

Longitudinal research has seriously challenged assumptions that juvenile sex offenders (JSO) are characterized by high level of dangerousness, mental health problems, and crime specialization in sex offenses. The current study examines the longitudinal pattern of offending among a sample of JSO and a sample of juvenile nonsex offenders. The research design includes longitudinal data over a nine-year period allowing the examination of offending patterns and the crime mix from age 12 to age 23. The findings highlight that, while JSO are prone to persist offending in adulthood, there is limited continuity of sex offending. Further, the findings stress the importance of taking into account nonsexual juvenile delinquency, more specifically, youth violence, to make a better assessment of early adult offending outcomes of JSO.

Abuse Experiences of Family Members, Child Maltreatment, and the Development of Sex Offending Among Incarcerated Adolescent Males Differences Between Adolescent Sex Offenders and Adolescent Non-Sex Offenders

Child sexual abuse is considered a risk factor for the development of sexual offending in adolescence. Beyond this, comparisons of the risk factor profiles between adolescent sex offenders (ASOs) and adolescent non-sex offenders (ANSOs) have uncovered minimal differences. However, differences between ASOs and ANSOs in terms of patterns in the abuse histories of their family members have rarely been studied. The aim in the current study was to retrospectively examine histories of abuse among family members of ASOs compared with ANSOs to determine whether and how these were related to youth abuse experiences and sexual offending in adolescence. The current study is based on a sample of 482 incarcerated male adolescents (ASOs = 67, ANSOs = 415). Latent class analysis was conducted to determine multidimensional familial abuse profiles, and a series of logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between family abuse profiles, youth abuse experiences, and adolescent sexual offending. Overall, familial abuse profiles were related to subsequent youth abuse experiences and sexual offending, and these abuse profiles differentiated ASOs and ANSOs.

Desistance From Crime Without Reintegration A Longitudinal Study of the Social Context and Life Course Path to Desistance in a Sample of Adults Convicted of a Sex Crime

Criminological theories suggest that desistance from crime cannot be considered outside its social context. Few studies, however, have examined the social context and its importance for individuals convicted of a sex offense. Their unique experience during community reentry warrants specific attention to this group. Using prospective longitudinal data, the current study examined desistance from general offending in a sample of 500 adult males convicted of at least one sex offense. Cox proportional hazards models showed that, although desistance is associated with the presence of prosocial social influences, these differences disappeared after controlling for prior involvement in crime and delinquency. Employment and marital status, commonly described as key turning points, were not found to be significant factors associated with desistance. Of importance, aging and the absence of recent substance abuse issues were key factors associated with desistance. Although these findings warrant further investigation, the study suggests that, for some men, desistance may occur in spite of the absence of community reintegration.

Developmental Trajectories of Child Sexual Behaviors on the Path of Sexual Behavioral Problems: Evidence From a Prospective Longitudinal Study:

There is little information about the onset and the developmental course of child sexual behavior problems (SBPs), including sexually intrusive behaviors (SIBs). Using data from the Vancouver Longitudinal Study on the Psychosocial Development of Children, the current study examined the presence of distinct patterns of sexual development among children. A normative sample of preschoolers (N = 354) with a small clinical subsample were followed from age 3 to 8 with repetitive measurements of sexual behaviors using a revised version of Child Sexual Behavior Inventory. Semiparametric group-based modeling identified four distinct sexual development trajectories: the very low (10.5%), the low declining (27.8%), the moderate stable (48.3%), and the high-rate increasing (13.4%). In contrast to the other developmental trajectories found, the high-rate-increasing pattern showed that sexual behaviors became increasingly extensive after school entry. Children characterized by this developmental pattern, especially boys, were more likely to be involved in SIBs after elementary school entry than those in the other groups. Findings highlight the presence of multiple developmental trajectories of sexual development with significantly different behavioral patterns after school entry.

Do Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Offending Vary Across Indigenous and White Youth Followed Prospectively Through Full Adulthood

Although Indigenous youth are overrepresented in justice systems across North America, Australia, and New Zealand, explanations for this overrepresentation are principally theoretical as data at the individual level are lacking. Risk for offending among Indigenous youth may be overestimated because of their typically more negative socioeconomic outcomes tied to historical injustices perpetrated by governments across different nations. Data on 403 adolescent offenders followed from ages 12 to 29 were used to examine offending trajectories and associated risk and protective factors across Indigenous and White participants. A greater number of social adversities characterized Indigenous youth, yet they did not differ from White youth in their likelihood of assignment to the highest rate offending trajectory. Culturally sensitive assessment of risk for offending is recommended.

23 The Contribution of Mental Health Disorders to Antisocial Behavior Pathways

Developmental criminologists have dedicated significant attention to explaining the course of antisocial behavior, including behavior onset, aggravation, persistence, and desistance. Models that outline the course of different antisocial behavior pathways have been proposed: overt behaviors, covert behaviors, authority conflict behaviors, and reckless behaviors. The most serious, violent, and persistent offenders tend to engage in all types of antisocial behavior, underscoring the importance of a general deviance construct in explaining the development of chronic offending. Although mental health disorders (MHDs), especially externalizing disorders, are often linked to antisocial behavior outcomes, the role of MHDs in helping to explain the unfolding of antisocial behavior pathways has been limited. In this chapter, behavioral pathway models are reviewed, followed by a discussion of different types of MHDs and their relationship with antisocial behavior and criminal offending. The relationship between MHDs and antisocial/criminal behavior is discussed in terms of criminal justice policy implications.

A Prospective Study of Offending Patterns of Youth Homicide Offenders Into Adulthood: An Examination of Offending Trajectories and the Crime Mix Posthomicide

Although youth homicide offenders (YHOs) are portrayed as a group that warrants considerable attention from the justice system because of their high likelihood of future offending, little is known about this group’s offending trajectories and the nature of posthomicide offenses in adulthood. These questions were investigated using a sample of male and female YHOs (n = 26), violent YHOs (n = 358), and nonviolent YHOs (n =139), all of whom were followed prospectively into adulthood. First, the prevalence of adult recidivism did not vary across the three groups. Second, YHOs were more frequent offenders prior to their homicide offense than after their homicide offense, and when they did offend posthomicide, it was typically a nonserious crime. Third, YHOs did not differ from other offenders in their association to a specific offending trajectory. These findings are discussed in the context of assessment and treatment of serious and violent youth.