Citation

Marshall J, Egan V, English M, Jones RM. Leg. Crim. Psychol. 2006; 11(2): 197-210.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, British Psychological Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1348/135532505X68719

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Purpose. The predictive validity of the psychopathy checklist-youth version (PCL:YV) and Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) for juvenile offenders were compared to examine whether a broad needs-risk tool predicted violence better than a focused individual assessment of psychopathy.Methods. 94 adolescents from residential and secure units were interviewed and assessed using the PCL:YV and YLS/CMI. Total scores were retrospectively applied to staff-recorded incidents of violence, total number of charges and convictions and formally recorded assaults. The predictive accuracy of each tool was assessed using correlational and receiver operator characteristic analyses.Results. The PCL:YV was a better predictor of staff-recorded violence than the YLS/CMI; both instruments were similar in their ability to predict total number of charges and convictions and assaults. When subdivided by gender, the correlations for predicting staff recorded violence in male participants were significantly higher than for female participants for both test instruments. Both instruments were broadly equivalent in their association with assaults and charges and convictions by gender.Conclusion. The PCL:YV is a better predictor of recorded violence than the YLS/CMI, but for charges and convictions and assaults, the YLS/CMI and PCL:YV were comparable for UK adolescent offenders. When recalculated to exclude the likelihood of predictor-criterion overlap, the results were the same. These findings are discussed in relation to the value of using risk-needs assessment instruments as compared with scales with a more psychopathological and personality focus.

Language: en