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Inventory of Spousal Violence Risk Assessment Tools Used in Canada
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5. Description of Tools, Investigative Checklists and Protocols (continued)
5.11 Family Violence Risk Factor Checklist
This checklist was developed by representatives from various community organizations in Winnipeg as well as Winnipeg Police Services, Manitoba Justice Prosecutions, Probation and Victim Services as well as the RESOLVE program at the University of Manitoba. Consultation occurred with a forensic psychologist, Dr. Gail Robertson from the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Medicine.
The checklist is not used as a formal tool but rather provides a comprehensive list of risk factors related to the offending individual and the victim which can assist workers to make safety assessments. Manitoba Justice Victim Services staff are required to forward a report which includes an analysis of safety factors to Prosecutions in the event a complainant requests changes to protective conditions (i.e. no contact/no attendance conditions) contained on a court order.
5.12 HCR-20
The HCR-20 was developed by Christopher D.Webster, Ph.D., Kevin S, Douglas, LLB, Ph.D., Derek Eaves, M.D. and Stephen D. Hart, Ph.D. It is a broad-based violence risk assessment tool which may be applied to a variety of cases, including domestic violence. It examines historical, clinical and risk management and is comprised of twenty (20) items.[12]
Historical Scale
- H1 Previous Violence
- H2 Young Age at First Violent Incident
- H3 Relationship Instability
- H4 Employment Problems
- H5 Substance Abuse Problems
- H6 Major Mental Illness
- H7 Psychopathy
- H8 Early Maladjustment
- H9 Personality Disorder
- H10 Prior Supervision Failure
Clinical Scale
- C1 Lack of Insight
- C2 Negative Attitudes
- C3 Active Symptoms of Major Mental Illness
- C4 Impulsivity
- C5 Unresponsiveness to Treatment
Risk Management Scale
- R1 Plans Lack Feasibility
- R2 Exposure to Destabilizers
- R3 Lack of Personal Support
- R4 Noncompliance with Remediation Attempts
- R5 Stress
The HCR-20 is currently being used by the ARTAMI Threat Assessment Unit in the province of Alberta and the Domestic Violence and Criminal Harassment Unit of the Vancouver Police Department and the Behavioural Sciences Unit of the RCMP in Surrey, British Columbia.
For more information on the HCR-20, please refer to the following website. http://www.proactive-resolutions.com/ (date accessed: April 10, 2009.)
5.13 High Risk for Lethality Case Coordination Protocol Framework
The High Risk for Lethality Case Coordination Protocol Framework is a joint provincial protocol of the Nova Scotia Departments of Justice, Community Services and Public Prosecution Service. Local committees in all counties are involved with how the protocol can be best implemented in each area.
When a case is deemed to be a “high risk” situation, the High Risk for Lethality Case Coordination Protocol Framework requires information sharing among primary service providers including: police, victim services workers, community corrections staff, transition houses, men’s intervention programs and child welfare. The Framework was developed to help identify and reduce risk of death and increase safety for victims by providing support/safety planning for the victim and avoid duplication of services.
Crown attorneys are also informed of the risk assessment results and can take this information into account with respect to victim safety, when considering conditions of release. At the time of this report, however, this information is not being formally introduced in court proceedings.
5.14 Level of Service Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI)
The Level of Service Case Management Inventory, developed by Don Andrews, Ph.D., James Bonta, Ph.D. and J. Stephen Wormith, Ph.D., is considered to be a general risk and needs assessment and case management tool for all offenders and is not specific to spousal violence offenders.
The tool is administered by community corrections staff and probation officers primarily to outline and monitor case plans. It also assists in the identification of appropriate levels of supervision on the basis of an offender’s rehabilitation and programming needs.
Key areas measured are: criminal history, education/employment, family/marital, leisure/recreation, companions, alcohol/drug problem, attitudes/orientation, criminogenic/non-criminogenic needs, responsivity and case management.[13]
The LS/CMI is currently used by Adult Probation Services in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and as an optional tool for Correctional Services in Nova Scotia. Manitoba Correctional Services is currently in the process of moving to the LS/CMI in the coming year. Correctional Services in Nunavut is currently reviewing this tool for future use.
For more information on this tool, please refer to the following web site. https://www.mhs.com/ (date accessed: April 10, 2009.)
5.15 Level of Service Inventory-R (LSI-R)
The LSI-R, developed by Don Andrews, Ph.D. and James Bonta, Ph.D., is an assessment and screening tool for all offenders and is not specific to spousal violence offenders. This tool measures risk factors in areas of criminal history, employment, family/marital, companions, alcohol/drug problems, emotional/personal and attitude/orientation. This tool helps inform decision criteria regarding offenders’ service and supervision needs.
The LSI-R is currently being used by Community and Correctional Services in Prince Edward Island and Probation Services in the Yukon.
For more information on the LSI-R, please refer to the following web site: https://www.mhs.com/(date accessed: April 10, 2009.)
5.16 Offender Risk Assessment Management System–Primary Risk Assessment (ORAMS-PRA)
This tool was developed by Correctional Services in Manitoba and is used in all custodial facilities and corrections centres in the province. However,Manitoba Correctional Services is currently in the process of moving to the LS/CMI in the coming year. Correctional Services in Saskatchewan and Nunavut have also implemented the ORAMS-PRA.
The Primary Risk Assessment (PRA) is a component of the ORAMS. It is used as a general risk and needs assessment tool to assist in predicting an offender’s risk to re-offend. It also provides the foundation for how case plans are prepared. All offenders sentenced to probation, a conditional sentence or incarceration and for those whom a court report has been ordered undergo the Primary Risk Assessment.
5.17 Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA)
The Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) was the result of collaborative efforts between the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Mental Health Centre (MHC) based in
Penetanguishene, Ontario. This empirically based, actuarial risk assessment tool was developed in response to both the May-Iles and Hadley Inquest[14] recommendations and recommendations made by The Joint Committee on Domestic Violence[15] to the Attorney General of Ontario in 1999.
The ODARA was originally developed for front-line police officers but is available for use by victim services, health care workers, probation and correctional services personnel in addition to domestic violence caseworkers in some provinces. This tool assesses risk of future wife assault in addition to the frequency and severity of these assaults. Although it was not designed to predict risk of lethality, the authors have found a correlation between higher ODARA scores and more severe assaults in the future. The form is made up of the following 13 items.
Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment Items (ODARA)[16]
- Previous Domestic Incident
- Previous Non domestic Incident
- Prior Correctional Sentence of at least 30 days
- Failure on Previous Conditional Release
- Threat to Harm or Kill Anyone at the Index Assault
- Confinement of the Partner During/at the Index Assault
- Victim Concerned/Fearful of Future Assaults
- Two or More Children
- Victim has a Biological Child from a Previous Partner
- Perpetrator’s Violence Against Others
- Perpetrator’s Substance Abuse
- Assault on Victim when Pregnant
- Any Barrier to Victim Support
The ODARA is currently being used by police departments in Ontario. In Nova Scotia, a number of agencies use the ODARA including the RCMP, municipal police departments, military police and Correctional Services. Probation Services in New Brunswick uses this tool. In Saskatchewan, provincial correctional centres, Probation Services and domestic violence caseworkers associated with domestic violence courts and police-based victim services programs use the ODARA.
For more information on the ODARA, please refer to the following article:
Hilton, N.Z., Harris, G.T., Rice, M.E., Lang, C., Cormier, C.A., & Lines, K.J. (2004). A brief actuarial assessment for the prediction of wife assault recidivism: The Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment. Psychological Assessment, 16, 267-275.
For additional information and for a full scoring and interpretation booklet, please refer to the following website: http://www.mhcp.on.ca/Site_Published/internet/SiteContent.aspx?Body.QueryId.Id=2046 (date accessed: April 10, 2009.)
5.18 Professional Assessment
There are established protocols in the province of Manitoba with the aim to reduce risk to victims of spousal violence. Social workers categorize spousal violence cases into two groups for assessment: 1) Charged, and 2) Not Charged. The social workers use their professional judgement to assess the level of risk. This assessment information is used to help Crown attorneys make decisions regarding the case. In instances where a case is deemed high risk, community support surveillance officers are assigned to closely monitor the individual.
5.19 Response Protocol for Quebec Police Services
The Department of Public Security has developed a protocol for police response to domestic violence that recommends the use of a Memorandum of Agreement between police services and the various stakeholders. A domestic violence response protocol model has been made available to police services. At this time, it is not known which police services are using the protocol.
5.20 Risk Management System
The Department of Social Development, Child Protection Services of New Brunswick administers a tool entitled the Risk Management System which includes a domestic violence component. This tool is based on the New York State Department of Social Services safety assessment and risk management tools. The tool was reviewed following a recommendation submitted in July 1998 by the Child Death Review Committee.
The New Brunswick Risk Management System contains nine key components including: nine (9) risk decision points, criteria to guide each decision, documentation of each decision, an immediate safety assessment and safety plan, a comprehensive risk assessment tool in addition to a service plan connected to the risk assessment.
Child Protection Services share the results of their risk assessments with the police and victim services, providing the victim is a client of victim services. Information sharing also occurs where there is a need to coordinate an intervention plan.
The Child Welfare System of New Brunswick is currently under restructuring to introduce differential responses and part of this project is to develop a more comprehensive assessment, based on the family’s strengths.
5.21 Risk of Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP)
The Risk of Sexual Violence Protocol (Stephen D. Hart, P. Randall Kropp and D. Richard Laws with Jessica Klaver, Caroline Logan and Kelly A. Watt) is a 22-item risk assessment tool associated with the risk of sexual violence, examining static, dynamic and manageability factors. The assessment is based on a foundation of effective assessment, case management and the required interventions to manage and reduce risk. It is used in cases of domestic violence, if deemed appropriate.
This tool is currently used by the ARTAMI Threat Assessment Unit in the province of Alberta.
For more information, please refer to the following website. http://www.proactive-resolutions.com/ (date accessed April 10, 2009.)
5.22 Saskatchewan Primary Risk Assessment (SPRA)
Probation officers in the province of Saskatchewan are certified in the use ofthe Saskatchewan Primary Risk Assessment tool (SPRA).It is a 15-item scoring sheet which includes risk levels and cut-off ratings along with an accompanying scoring and information record for more detailed information. The SPRA is a slightly modified version of the Offender Risk Assessment Management System – Primary Risk Assessment and is used in case plan development, risk management and risk reduction strategies.
5.23 Séjournelle Project
The objective of this project is to develop and implement a model for cross-sectoral initiatives aimed at preventing assault and homicide in order to provide enhanced safety for victims of domestic violence. The project is patterned after the model used in Duluth, Minnesota.
The project has two main components: a common framework for evaluating the safety of victims of domestic violence and the development of cohesive and coordinated cross-sectoral initiatives and services. The project involves representatives of the Sûreté du Québec, the Bureau des substituts du Procureur général, Quebec correctional services, the Commission québécoise des libérations conditionnelles, a shelter and support centre for women who are victims of domestic violence and a resource centre for abusive men. All are working together to improve their services and programs for women who are victims of domestic violence and abusive men with a view to preventing repeat offences and increasing victim safety.
The agency in charge of the project is currently developing a tool for evaluating the safety of women who are victims of domestic violence that includes a risk assessment. The agency is hoping to test the evaluation tool, which should be used with partners under Memoranda of Agreement.
5.24 Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA)
The Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA) was developed by P. Randall Kropp, Ph.D., Stephen D. Hart, Ph.D., Christopher D. Webster, Ph.D. and Derek Eaves, M.D.This tool consists of a 20-item checklist covering criminal history, psychological functioning, and current social adjustment. It may be used by a variety of professionals including: law enforcement professionals, correctional officers and government agencies. It is designed to assess the risk of future abuse in adult male offenders in addition to incorporating the evaluators’ professional judgment as part of the assessment. SARA includes the following twenty (20) indicators categorized [17]
Criminal History
- 1. Past Assault of Family Members
- 2. Past Assault of Strangers or Acquaintances
- 3. Past Violation of Conditional Release or Community Supervision
Psychosocial Adjustment
- 4. Recent Relationship Problems
- 5. Recent Employment Problems
- 6. Victim of and/or Witness to Family Violence as a Child or Adolescent
- 7. Recent Substance Abuse/Dependence
- 8. Recent Suicidal or Homicidal Ideation/Intent
- 9. Recent Psychotic and/or Manic Symptoms
- 10. Personality Disorder with Anger, Impulsivity, or Behavioural Instability
Spousal Assault History
- 11. Past Physical Assault
- 12. Past Sexual Assault/Sexual Jealousy
- 13. Past Use of Weapons and/or Credible Threats of Death
- 14. Recent Escalation in Frequency or Severity of Assault
- 15. Past Violation of “No Contact” Orders
- 16. Extreme Minimization or Denial of Spousal Assault History
- 17. Attitudes that Support or Condone Spousal Assault
Alleged (Current) Offence
- 18. Severe and/or Sexual Assault
- 19. Use of Weapons and/or Credible Threats of Death
- 20. Violation of “No Contact” Order
The SARA is used by criminal justice personnel in a number of areas across the country, including: Newfoundland and Labrador (Correctional Services), New Brunswick (Correctional and Probation Services), Ontario (police), Alberta (police, RCMP, ARTAMI Threat Assessment Unit), British Columbia (Correctional Services, Domestic Violence and Criminal Harassment, Vancouver Police Department) and the Yukon (Correctional and Probation Services, RCMP).
For more information, please refer to the following website. http://www.proactive-resolutions.com/ (date accessed: April 10, 2009.)
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