Alex Sniper Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment

Risk assessments are important for the police, courts, corrections, and the public when determining if an offender is a high or low risk. In the correctional aspect of the justice system, risk assessments are extremely important. This is because they aid in understanding which correctional institution being either minimum, medium, or maximum security. Risk assessments also help to understand the recidivism rates, if they are going to commit new offences, and lastly, if anything can help reduce the likelihood for the offenders. There are many risk assessments correctional staff use. When evaluating an offender, a qualified worker will combine their own discretion, as well as, research and data to back up their choices.

Psychological Aspects
When considering Alex’s psychological aspects, the major psychological disorders which can affect him to commit crimes is his schizophrenia and ADHD. This can cause moods swings, and if they reach a manic phase they may not be able to control the actions of their body. With Alex’s diagnosis starting at a young age and his mother believing she can fix it could cause some long-term side effects. The hallucinations may cause Alex to commit crimes, which he may not be criminally responsible for, but still committed the offence. In addition to his diagnosis, Alex has struggled to take his medication because when on it, it can cause major side effects on the body. Therefore, the treatment for schizophrenia is tough. Examining Alex’s ADHD, this enhances the hyperactive and the impulsive behaviour. However, if medicated properly the rate for violence can go down; therefore, it is imperative for doctors to prescribe the proper dosage and medication for their treatment.
In addition to the mental disorders, Alex exhibits alcohol abuse. The effects of addictions may play a significant role in criminal behaviours. In Alex’s case, alcohol addictions can directly effect the brain, causing severe damage which can be used as an explanation for erratic behaviour. When combining alcohol and his mental health issues it increases the likelihood of committing offences to 88% (as cited by Eyjolfson, 2016). Therefore, with Alex’s diagnosis with schizophrenia and ADHD in combination with alcohol makes him very susceptible to criminal or deviant acts. When determining criminogenic needs and offences related to alcohol there are many risk assessments which can be conducted. Many of these assessments however, rely on information obtained by the LSI-R which predicts recidivism rates.
Risk Assessment
LSI-R
Another risk assessment, which can be conducted on Alex is the level of service inventory-revised (LSI-R), which is an actuarial/structured risk instruments. This assessment is composed of 54 items to measure the likelihood of general offending, as well as, the criminogenic needs which contribute as well. It is also based off the risk/needs/responsivity principles, correctional staff tend to follow. Because Alex’s needs and risks are high, the responsivity principles will be different to figure out an appropriate treatment. The key aspects, which are emphasized with this assessment is education/employment, alcohol and drug usage and effects, criminal attitudes, criminal associates (Andrews & Bonta, 2005). As mentioned previously, Alex’s employment record is not long, as well as, his education level is poor due to not completing high school. This can increase the likelihood to reoffend because they did not have conventional opportunities, or learning certain skills through school such as patience and self-control. Having the responsibility of maintaining a job can aid in reducing reoffending because it will give the offender something to do that is conventional.
Having alcohol and drug usage as a key aspect which separates the HCR-20 and LSI-R. Alcohol and substance abuse can play a major role when determining the recidivism rates due to the impairment it can cause an individual. In Alex’s case, he meets the criteria as he struggles with alcohol abuse, and has his whole life. When he was younger, he witnessed his father struggle with it and now he demonstrates those behaviours. In addition to his struggles with alcohol, his attitude towards criminal behaviour is taken into consideration for this assessment.
Overtime, Alex has consistently demonstrated criminal behaviour.

Starting at a young age with trespassing and becoming more severe as he continues to get older. With the severity increasing, it can demonstrate that he will continue to commit crimes with the aid of his friend Jessica. When looking at his friends, the only friend he has had consistent in his life is Jessica. This is dangerous, as it mentions in his case study that he will do anything to hold onto that relationship or bond. His low intelligence, communication barriers, and lack of interpersonal skills can make him easily susceptible to committing deviant acts with

Jessica.
HCR-20
The HCR-20 is based off of structured professional judgement specifically used to measure an offenders risk for violence. This assessment consists of ten historical factors, five clinical factors, and five risk assessment factors. Examining the historical factors, it can viewed as problems, which have occurred in the past, such as “violence, antisocial behaviours, relationships, employment, mental disorders, traumatic experiences, and treatments” (Douglas et al, 2014). In Alex’s case, he meets the criteria for many of these historical factors within the HCR-20. Early in his childhood, Alex was subjected to family violence through his father constantly abusing him. This can demonstrate how violence allows individuals to obtain power and control over others, which can be a reason for Alex’s violent behaviour. Alex has committed multiple deviant and criminal acts; however, they started off minor and gradually became more severe, with the attack on the baker. It is also explained how Alex has received community service sentences as his punishment, but did not complete it. Another highlight for Alex is his antisocial behaviour. Alex started displaying both the violent and antisocial behaviour during his adolescence. It is stated in his case that Alex will commit small deviant acts, but will feel no guilt or remorse for his actions. Having no guilt or remorse for a criminal act can be used as a predictive characteristics because if an individual does not understand it is wrong, they are more likely to commit the offence again. A unique historical factor to the HCR-20 takes into consideration for predicting violence, is a mental health component. Mental health issues are more related to the clinical factors, but is also good information to obtain, as it is still relevant for the evaluation (Douglas et al, 2014).
In the HCR-20 the clinical factors focus on current mental health and behavioural functioning. It also takes into consideration the offender’s treatment history, hospitalization, as well as, number of arrests. Measuring the offender’s current functions is an important information to obtain when predicting future behaviours. For Alex, his mental health issues started at the age of 15, and is continuing to be a prominent problem. It is mentioned Alex has refused, or let go from treatments due to his impulsive and aggressive behaviour. He has also been diagnosed with schizophrenia and ADHD, which is said to contribute to his behaviour. Since Alex displays no obvious signs of changing his behaviour this could be a flag, increasing the probability of him committing more offence. It is important to re-evaluate the clinical factors over a period of time, as these functions can change either for the better, or worse.
Lastly, the HCR-20 takes into consideration risk management factors. This is referred to as future functions such as, living arrangements, employment plan, and supports. Changes in these factors also influence the prediction in violence. Alex has been living with his mother when he is not in the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre, as she is his major support system. This aids in reducing his risk for reoffending as he has conventional support. However, Alex’s employment record does not have a good reputation, which can hinder him as he will not have the structure, and more time to commit crimes.
Analysis
LSI-R
The LSI-R is another risk assessment, which can be done on Alex to predict his recidivism rate. This risk assessment is like the HCR-20; however, also has some difference. The first difference is the LSI-R predicts general recidivism instead of violent recidivism. It takes other influences in Alex’s life then just the aspect strictly to violent behaviour. With this assessment being actuarial/structured risk instruments, it is considered more valid and reliable than unstructured clinical judgement. Looking at the correlation rate between the LSI-R and recidivism it ranks very high for predicting violent recidivism. In an article by Robert P. Butters “[there is] three decades of research support the reliability and validity of the LSI-R” (2013). For this assessment Alex, would undergo an interview instead of a score. This can improve the assessment by incorporating more of a personal interpretation rather than just statistics.

HCR-20
The HCR-20 is applicable to the case of Alex Sniper as he meets the criteria for many of factors mentioned within this assessment.

It takes into consideration past, current, and future behaviours and actions in order to predict the level of recidivism. When examining the reliability and validity of the HCR-20, “the interrater reliability was consistently excellent for the presence of risk factors and for summary risk ratings” (Douglas & Belfrage, 2014). This means a lot of individuals measured this risk assessment and formulated a consensus their ratings. Moreover, this aids in proving the reliability and validity for the HCR-20. A criticism to this assessment however, is when structured professional judgement is integrated. It is suggesting even though an individual may have a high score, individuals cannot simply rely on adding the scores together (Serin, R., et al, 2011). Because Alex scores high on the 20 items within the HCR-20, he would receive high scores for historical, clinical, risk management; therefore, this risk assessment can be

applied