The Offence Analogue and Offence Reduction Behaviour Rating Guide as a Supplement to Violence Risk Assessment in Incarcerated Offenders

Abstract

The Offence Analogue and Offence Reduction Behaviour Rating Guide provides a structure for monitoring behaviors linked to a violent offenders’ criminogenic needs within the prison environment. It has the potential to assist reappraisals of dynamic risk factors, measure treatment progress, and enhance release decision making. The present study investigates the utility of this guide by (1) exploring whether Offence Analogue Behaviours (OABs) and Offence Reduction Behaviours (ORBs) manifest within the prison environment, and (2) investigating the relationship between these behaviors and violent recidivism. This study was conducted via a retrospective review of case files for 94 violent offenders imprisoned and then released into the community in Victoria, Australia. The results indicate that these risk-related behaviors can be identified, and some OABs and ORBs are associated with time to the commission of a violent offense post-release. Most of the significant predictors were pro-social behaviors (ORBs), demonstrating a negative relationship with violent recidivism. This illustrates the importance of attending to the development of pro-social behavior in addition to a reduction in antisocial behavior when assessing risk for future violence in incarcerated offenders. These results suggest the OAB and ORB rating guide may provide a useful framework for structuring observations of risk-related behaviors in custody.

Keywords:

• Violence risk assessment
• violent offenders
• prisons
• recidivism
• Offence Analogue Behaviour
• Offence Paralleling Behaviour

Acknowledgments

The authors would like thank the Adult Parole Board of Victoria, Corrections Victoria, and Victoria Police for their support and assistance with data collection. Sincere gratitude is also extended to Ms. Kate O’Brien for her overall contribution to this research.