TY - JOUR PY - 2020// TI - The PCL-R and capital sentencing: a commentary on "Death is different" DeMatteo et al. (2020a) JO - Psychology, public policy, and law A1 - Hare, Robert D. A1 - Olver, Mark E. A1 - Stockdale, Keira C. A1 - Neumann, Craig S. A1 - Mokros, Andreas A1 - Baskin-Sommers, Arielle A1 - Brand, Eddy A1 - Folino, Jorge A1 - Gacono, Carl A1 - Gray, Nicola S. A1 - Kiehl, Kent A1 - Knight, Raymond A1 - Leon-Mayer, Elizabeth A1 - Logan, Matthew A1 - Meloy, J. Reid A1 - Roy, Sandeep A1 - Salekin, Randall T. A1 - Snowden, Robert J. A1 - Thomson, Nicholas A1 - Tillem, Scott A1 - Vitacco, Michael A1 - Yoon, Dahlnym SP - 519 EP - 522 VL - 26 IS - 4 N2 - DeMatteo et al. (2020b) published a Statement in this journal declaring that the Psychopathy Checklist--Revised (PCL-R) "cannot and should not [emphasis added]" (p. 134) be used in U.S. capital-sentencing cases to assess risk for serious institutional violence. Their stated concerns were the "imperfect interrater reliability" (p. 137), the "variability in their predictive validity" (p. 137), and the prejudicial effects of PCL-R ratings on the defendant. In a Cautionary Note, we (Olver et al., 2020) raised questions about the Statement's evaluation of the PCL-R's psychometric properties; presented new data, including a meta-analysis; and argued that the evidence did not support the Statement's declaration that the PCL-R cannot be used in high-stakes contexts. In their reply, titled "Death is Different," DeMatteo et al. (2020a) concurred with several points in our Cautionary Note, disputed others, asserted that we had misunderstood or mischaracterized their Statement, and dismissed our new data and comments as irrelevant to the Statement's purpose. This perspective on our commentary is inimical to balanced academic discourse. In this article, we contend that DeMatteo et al. (2020a) underestimated the reliability and predictive validity of PCL-R ratings, overestimated the centrality of the PCL-R in sentencing decisions, and underplayed the importance of other factors. Most of their arguments depended on sources other than capital cases, including mock trials, sexually violent predator hearings, and studies that included the prediction of general violence. We conclude that the rationale for the bold "cannot and should not" decree is open to debate and in need of research in real-life venues. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1076-8971 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/law0000290 ID - ref1 ER -