Shelley L. Brown

The assessment of psychopathy in male and female noncriminals: Reliability and validity

The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised: Screening Version (PCL-R:SV; Hart, Cox & Hare, 1995, Manual for the Screening Version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL-R:SV)) in a sample of 75 male and 75 female university students. We examined the internal structure of the PCL-R:SV and its relationship to a battery of self-report measures relevant to the construct of psychopathy. Results indicated that the PCL-R:SV had good internal consistency and interrater reliability. The distribution of psychopathy scores were significantly higher among the males than the females. A factor analysis failed to confirm the two factor structure of psychopathy previously found in forensic samples. PCL-R:SV Total scores were significantly correlated with Antisocial Personality Disorder symptoms, substance use, self-reported criminal activity, and observer ratings of interpersonal behavior. Overall, the results suggest that the PCL-R:SV is a reliable and valid measure of psychopathic traits in nonforensic populations.

Predicting Criminal Recidivism in Adult Male Offenders Researcher Versus Parole Officer Assessment of Dynamic Risk

In an attempt to bridge the gap between research and practice in the domain of criminal risk assessment, this study compared the predictive accuracy of dynamic risk assessments attained via an exhaustive research protocol to that achieved by the proxy ratings generated by parole officers. After an initial prerelease assessment, 127 male offenders under community supervision in Ontario, Canada, were assessed by parole officers and researchers at three different intervals (i.e., 1, 3, and 6 months postrelease). Cox regression survival analyses with time-dependent covariates and receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed moderate to high levels of predictive accuracy in both research-based and parole officer ratings (area under the curve [AUC] = .79 and .76, respectively). The strongest prediction model combined the research-based time-dependent dynamic factors with static items (AUC = .86), thus offering provisional support for the inclusion of prospectively rated dynamic factors in risk assessment protocols.

A Quantitative Exploration of Gendered Pathways to Crime in a Sample of Male and Female Juvenile Offenders

Feminist (gendered) pathways theorists maintain that female criminality is largely survival-based, and tied to a constellation of factors including early trauma, ensuing mental health issues, and poverty. Based on items drawn from the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument, multidimensional scaling was performed to elucidate the respective thematic structure of background and offending characteristics of 663 female and 1,175 male juvenile offenders under community supervision in New York State. Although the gendered pathways theme emerged exclusively for females, a theme closely resembling the traditional antisocial pathway depicted in mainstream correctional literature was also evident among females. Theoretical integration is therefore recommended.

Incorporating Strengths Into Quantitative Assessments of Criminal Risk for Adult Offenders The Service Planning Instrument

The primary aim of this study is to determine the extent to which the consideration of strengths enhances the predictive validity of risk assessment protocols applied to correctional populations. Data from the Service Planning Instrument (SPIn) Pre-Screen were analyzed for 3,656 adult offenders bound by provincial supervision across Alberta, Canada. The predictive validity of the screening instrument was equivalent across gender and Aboriginal status (areas under the curve [AUCs] = .75-.77). Hierarchical logistic regression revealed significant main effects for risk and strength subtotals in predicting new offenses over 18 months for the overall sample, indicating that the inclusion of strengths adds uniquely to the prediction of recidivism. The overall model yielded a significant Risk Score × Strength Score interaction, illustrating that high strength scores are particularly effective in attenuating recidivism among higher risk cases. Rather than limit their consideration to case management contexts, results support the integration of strengths into quantitative assessments of criminal risk.

Prevalence and Incidence of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Federally Sentenced Women in Canada:

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a complex behavior that is not uncommon in the general population, yet little is known about the prevalence of this behavior among incarcerated women. Two studies were conducted to determine the prevalence and incidence of NSSI in federally sentenced Canadian women. In Study 1, a mixed-methods design that included a qualitative interview and a written questionnaire with a sample of 150 incarcerated women was used. In Study 2, archival data were analyzed for a random sample of 400 incarcerated women. Results indicated lifetime prevalence rates of NSSI ranging from 24% to 38%. Incidence of self-injury in a federal institution over a 1-year period was found to be 3.6 per 27.4 person-years (i.e., number of years incarcerated). Both studies indicated that for the majority of women in both samples, NSSI was first initiated in the community, prior to incarceration in a federal correctional institution.

Using dynamic factors to predict recidivism among women: a four-wave prospective study

Using a sample of 497 Canadian women released into the community from federal prisons, this study examined the extent to which seven dynamic risk factors prospectively assessed at 6-month intervals (four waves) change over time and predict recidivism. Results obtained from a series of within-subject ANOVAs indicate that with the exception of substance abuse, all dynamic risk factors (i.e., employment, marital/family, community functioning, personal/emotional, criminal associates, and criminal attitudes) decreased among those offenders who did not recidivate. In addition, results obtained from a series of Cox regression survival analyses with time-dependent covariates also indicate that proximal assessments of dynamic risk predict recidivism more strongly than more distal assessments of dynamic risk. Employment and associates were the strongest dynamic predictors of recidivism, whereas the remaining factors were weak-to-moderate predictors of recidivism. This study lends support to the utility of repeatedly assessing dynamic risk factors among female offender populations.

Recycling processes of cellular ascorbate generate oxidative stress in pancreatic tissues in in vitro system.

Ascorbate is a reducing agent, which is also known to oxidize cellular compoentns. Our proposed mechanism of the oxidative action is as follows: Ascorbate is concentrated in the pancreas and is leaked in adverse conditions, and oxidized to dehydroascorbate. The dehydroascorbate is carried into cells by a glucose transporter (GLUT) and reduced back to ascorbate. The reduction processes take electrons from other cellular components. Ascorbate or dehydroascorbate treatment elevated thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) concentrations in pancreas. The elevation in TBARS concentrations were blocked by cytochalasin B, a GLUT inhibitor. To confirm further the prooxidative action, changes in glutathione content were quantified. Glutathione concentrations were lower in ascorbate- or dehydroascorbate-treated groups. The ascorbate-induced decrease in glutathione was blocked by cytochalasin B. To prevent oxidation of ascorbate to dehydroascorbate, glutathione was added to the medium. The ascorbate plus glutathione and dehydroascorbate plus glutathione groups showed lower TBARS concentrations than those of the ascorbate and dehydroascorbate groups, respectively. There were changes in the morphology of Langerhans islets following ascorbate treatment, which disappeared following treatment with ascorbate plus cyto-chalasin B. The observations indicate that ascorbate generates oxidative stress and affects the structure of islets.

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Women Offenders: Motivations, Emotions, and Precipitating Events

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) poses a serious threat to the safety and well-being of offenders and staff, making it a critical issue for correctional institutions, yet little is known about NSSI adult women offenders. Fifty-six women residing in Canadian federal correctional institutions with a history of NSSI participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their behavior. More than two-thirds of the women interviewed reported engaging in NSSI as a method of coping with negative emotions. The most common emotions reported prior to engaging in NSSI were anger, depression, and anxiety. The most common event that preceded NSSI was interpersonal conflict. After self-injuring, women most commonly reported feelings of relief, followed by regret. Whereas many women described similar experiences with NSSI, this research suggests that NSSI is a complex behavior with many different motivations and precipitating factors, and that effective treatment should consider the individuals unique needs.

The Strengths Assessment Inventory-Youth Version: An evaluation of the psychometric properties with male and female justice-involved youth.

Strengths constitute an important element of developmental assessments. It is consistent with evidence-based practice to use assessment tools that adequately measure a given construct and are appropriate for use with their targeted population. The Strengths Assessment Inventory-Youth Version (SAI-Y; Rawana & Brownlee, 2010)-a self-report measure of personal strengths, self-concept, and emotional functioning-was administered to 230 male and female adolescent offenders. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the SAI-Ys factor structure demonstrated an acceptable fit overall, while some factors fit the data well, and fewer factors displayed a questionable fit. A majority of scale scores were found to exhibit good reliability for both sexes, with three empirical scale scores demonstrating poor reliability. In addition, scores on the SAI-Y also achieved satisfactory convergent and divergent validity. Total strength scores were significantly correlated in the expected direction with most theoretically related measures of emotional and behavioral functioning (e.g., self-esteem, treatment readiness, antisocial attitudes). Lastly, moderate gender effects and small ethnicity differences in response patterns were found. This was the first validation study of the SAI-Y with a justice-involved sample and the results suggest it is an appropriate measure for use with both male and female justice-involved young persons in detention and in the community. (PsycINFO Database Record

Validity of the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument: a juvenile justice tool incorporating risks, needs, and strengths

The primary purpose of this study is to introduce the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument (YASI; Orbis Partners, 2000), which is a comprehensive assessment protocol gauging a range of risks, needs, and strengths associated with criminal conduct in juvenile populations. Applied to a sample of 464 juvenile offenders bound by community supervision in Alberta, Canada, the Pre-Screen version of the instrument achieved a high level of accuracy in predicting both general and violent offenses over an 18-month follow-up period (Area Under the Curve [AUC] = .79). No significant differences in overall predictive validity were found across demographic groups, save for the relatively lower level of accuracy achieved in predicting general reoffending across the subsample of girls (AUC = .68). With regard to strengths, a buffering effect was identified whereby high-risk cases with higher levels of strength had superior outcomes compared to their lower strength counterparts. Results suggest that it is advisable to consider the quantitative inclusion of strength-based items in the assessment of juvenile risk.