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Welcome to the EuroPris Knowledge Management System. The table below shows questions and responses from European National Agencies. Select a question for more information or use the filters on the left to narrow down questions based on Agency or Category.
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Introduction:
As there are no special treatment measures or programs a special evaluation does not take place.
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?In this context we run no special treatment measures or programs. For this group of offenders, we offer, however, the general anti-violence programs (anti-violence training, PSYBEG ...) or sex offender programs (SOTP)
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?See answer to previous question
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?No, but we supported a scientific study directed at , the research topic -"Relationship violence (severe) injury and Homicides, that are in a relationship context " - by offering the possibility to get in contact and interview appropriate inmates, as far as they have agreed to this procedure. The result, was a book written and published by Ellen M. Zitzmann - "Victims men man caught between perpetrator and victim?" (Tectum Verlag Marburg, 2012).
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?No
Special Remarks or CommentsSee question 1
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?The Psychosocial Service is part of the Prison Service and consists of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. Their main task is giving advice to the Minster of Justice and the court about conditional measures (leaves, limited detention, electronic supervision, conditional release) and to work out a release plan that minimizes the risk for reoffending. This release plan is made after a thorough risk assessment. The Psychosocial Service doesn’t run programs in the prison aiming at the risk-of –relapse reduction and rehabilitation since they have an advisory function.
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?In Belgium, a risk assessment for each offender is done by the Psychosocial Service. The psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers are using risk assessment instruments for this purpose. To assess the risk for recidivism in (serious) domestic violence we use the SARA (spousal assault risk assessment) and the B-SAFER (Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk) along with a more general risk assessment tool as the HCR-20 V3 (for female perpetrators, we also use the FAM (Female Additional Manual) together with the HCR-20). In cases where we could identify a period of stalking prior to the index offence, we use the SRP (Stalking Risk Profile). To get more balance into the risk assessment we also use the SAPROF (Structured Assessment of Protective Factors) to detect which protective factors for violence are present or need to be strengthened.
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?We don't have a research department in the Psychosocial Service.
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?In the background information is mentioned that typically, two different categories of partner homicide offenders can be encountered. Both types are examples of reactive/expressive violence perpetrators. We would like to suggest a third type of offender: the one that uses instrumental, very well premeditated violence to kill the partner. Literature en research points out that the personality of these instrumental murderers is often different (more psychopathic) from those who use reactive aggression. We would like to recommend the literature of Meloy on this topic.
Special Remarks or Comments/
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?No
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?/
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?/
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?/
Special Remarks or Comments/
Results of programmes and treatment are not routinely evaluated. However, repeated risk assessments are carried out in order to assess the offender's progress and to determine whether weekend leave and/or release on parole can be recommended.
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?Offenders who are convicted of partner homicide - and who have a need for psychological/psychiatric treatment - will serve their sentence at the prison at Herstedvester, which is a prison specialised in psychological and psychiatric treatment. Herstedvester does not offer treatment programmes aiming uniquely at partner homicide offenders. Herstedvester offers individual psychotherapy based on either cognitive or psychodynamic principles. Furthermore, supporting or crisis therapy is a possibility. A programme offered by the private institutution 'Dialog mod Vold', (Dialogue against Violence), is aimed at offenders who have committed violence towards near related persons. This is offered nationwide in prisons and in the community as a treatment option. The programme is based on cognitive therapy and mindfulness techniques. The programme is conducted in groups or individually, and if necessary via a translator.
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?In Herstedvester, the risk assessment tools HCR-20, SVR-20 and Static 99 are currently used. Also, a wide range of other assessment tools are used. to assess psychiatric diagnosis, PCL-R to identify psychopathy, intellingence tests as WAIS-IV, WISC and RIAS, Rorschach inkblots, Thematic Apperception Test, Object Sorting Tests, Word Association Test and MMPI. Here too, learning and memory skills are assessed, verbal as well as non-verbal, and finally TOMM-malingering test is applied in order to determine fraud.
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?No.
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?No recommendations.
Special Remarks or Comments-
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?Latvian imprisonment places do not run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of offenders who have been convicted for the murder of their former life partner.
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?In Latvian imprisonment places each convict are evaluated by specially developed „Convict’s risk and need assessment questionnaire” (questionnaire consists of 3 parts – 1st part fill in inspector of Social rehabilitation department, 2nd part fill in social worker, but 3rd part fill in psychologist), according to this questionnaire for each convict is drawn up resocialization plan. Plan is updated taking into account convict’s achievements in resocialization process, as well as convict’s actual resocialization needs.
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?No, we do not carry out such studies.
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?At the moment we do not have special unit in the field of research, we only have Training Center (which operates in training sphere, but not in research), so we cannot recommend any meta-analyze.
Special Remarks or CommentsThe Lithuanian penitentiary system is using Risk Assessment and correctional programs to evaluate the results according to previous recommendations of evaluation and programs. It should be noted that evaluation and correctional programs are used by experts (psychologists and social workers), who were trained to use evaluation tools at special courses, may assess risk of re-offending and write the final report.
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?In Lithuanian probation system One-to-one is applied– thinking and behaviour correctional program. Other four behaviour correctional programs (Motivational interview, SeNAT-the therapy program for sexual offenders, the rehabilitation program for drug abused offenders, EQUIP-cognitive behaviour program) are applied for offenders in correctional institutions and probation services.
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?The Lithuanian penitentiary system is using the following adapted assessment tools: OASys (The Offender Assessment System); HCR-20 (Assessing Risk for Violence: Historical, Clinical, Risk Management – 20); PCL:SV (Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version); SVR-20 (The Sexual Violence Risk); SARA (The Spausal Assault Risk Assessment).
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?Studies comparing male with female perpetrators are usually carried out by experts (e.g. probation and correctional institutions are cooperating with academic institutions). Probation services are responsible for quality work with offenders evaluating impact of re-socialization. Also correctional institutions perform individual psychological analysis for offenders. But none of those institutions perform comparative analysis. This is within the competency of the academic community.
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?We have never done meta-analysis related to offenders sentenced for partner homicide.
Special Remarks or CommentsNo
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?No
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?Non
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?No
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?No
Special Remarks or CommentsThe assessment of programs’ and activities’ results is performed from double perspective when they end up, in terms of efficiency and efficacy in line with the goals of the program or activity and in terms of prisoner’s involvement so that psychosocial assistance and intervention to be focused on their behavior and personality.
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?Within the range of social reintegration programs and activities there are specific programs to reduce aggression and to develop a relationship with the support environment, having as selection criterion of the target group the needs identified on the basis on specific assessments and not on the type of offence. We underline that the goal of all programs performed in the social reinsertion field is to reduce risk of relapse and to rehabilitate prisoners.
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?All prisoners are evaluated on three axes, that is educational, psychosocial and social assistance on the basis of some quests at different times during detention period (when entering the prison, during detention, at release). An important aspect is the type of risk to be evaluated (security risk, risk of relapse, crime related risk, suicide risk a.s.o.).
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?At present, the studies conducted do not make differences on gender criteria.
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?No, we cannot recommend.
Special Remarks or CommentsFor programme interventions for anger and general violent behaviour a range of psychometric measurements are utilised. Interim proximal evaluations have been completed in the past, but outcome evaluations involving reconvictions rates have not been feasible due to small numbers and lack of a comparison group.
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?SPS does not run any specific programmes for perpetrators of homicide against a partner. However, SPS does have a suite of programmes to address the behaviour of those who perpetrate general acts of violence of varying degrees of severity. The Violence Prevention Programme (VPP); Controlling Anger Regulating Emotions (CARE); The Youth Justice Programme (YJP); and the Female Offending Behaviour Programme (FOBP) all contain modules which address general anger and violence. Please note that some of these programmes for general violence are due be replaced completely or substantially revised, e.g. VPP has been superseded by the Self-Change Programme brought in under licence from HMPS in England and Wales.
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?There is no risk assessment for partner homicide, but offenders in custody are assessed through the Generic Programme Assessment (GPA). Some establishments assess prisoners using the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment (SARA) prior to granting home leave or release on licence.
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?No
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?Not specifically in the field of partner homicide. The proximal evaluation of SPS's general Violence Prevention Programme may be of interest to EuroPris members. NOTE: it is not specifically geared towards partner violence or partner homicide and has now been replaced. Violence Prevention Programme The Violence Prevention Programme has been run in adult male establishments and is the only offence-specific programme aimed at targeting violent offending behaviour. It was bought from the Canadian Service of Corrections (CSC) in 2004. The main premise of the programme is that violent behaviour is learned through modelling, reinforcement and cognitive mediation; violent offenders are aggressive because they lack a number of essential cognitive and social skills. During this programme participants are exposed to anger management, problem solving, conflict resolution, impulse control and interpersonal skills. VPP also tackles 'criminogenic needs' such as difficulty in reducing arousal, antisocial attitudes, affiliation with anti-social peers, lifestyle problems and substance abuse. The VPP study involved analysis of change indices and changes or shifts in two other proxy measures. The change indices related to the psychometrics used in the pre- and post-programme evaluation. They comprised the Novaco Anger Scale (NAS-A) and Novaco Anger and Provocation Inventory (NAS-PI), the Pulhaus Deception Scale (PDS), the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) and Eysenck's Impulsivity Inventory (EI). The proxy measures reported are the Governor reports and supervision level. At the time the analysis was undertaken in 2008, data were held on 89 prisoners assessed for the VPP programme. Of these 79 (88.76%) were deemed suitable for the programme, with 70 (88.61%) going on to complete it. The programme completers were the subject of the analysis. The VPP data demonstrate a highly significant positive change from the baseline assessment of the NAS A and PI, the AQ and the EI across the pre-, during and up to the six-month follow up stage of the VPP programme psychometrics. This highly significant improvement is maintained at the 12-month follow up stage for the NAS A and PI and the AQ, but the EI drops below a significant level at this stage.
Special Remarks or CommentsThis content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
IDAP was evaluated in 2012 in a large scale quasi-experimental study including all offenders participating in the program during the period 2004–2007, and a matched control group; with official recidivism as a primary outcome measure (the study is only available in Swedish so far).
Do you run specific programs aiming at the risk-of-relapse reduction and the rehabilitation of such offenders?Since 2004 the Swedish Prison and Probation Service runs the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP); a treatment program developed in cooperation with the UK Home Office targeting adult men who have used threats, violence or other controlling behavior against female partners. IDAP is a cognitive-behavioral therapy program built on social learning theory, rooted in the Duluth-model. The program is accredited for use as a standard program for domestic-violence offenders assessed with high or moderate risk of reoffending. IDAP is delivered in custodial as well as community settings. The Swedish Prison and Probation Service does not have an accredited program especially designed for offenders convicted for partner homicide.
Which risk assessment tools do you use currently?SARA – Spousal Assault Risk Assessment guide; a clinical checklist for male offenders who have used threats, violence or other controlling behavior against female partners. No specific risk assessment tool for offenders convicted for partner homicide is used by the Swedish Prison and Probation Service.
Did you carry out relevant studies comparing male with female perpetrators?IDAP is developed and designed for male perpetrators in heterosexual relationships. The Swedish Prison and Probation Service is currently developing a new program, delivered in a one-to-one format, targeting male as well as female offenders in heterosexual or homosexual relationships.
Can you recommend any evidence-based meta-analysis in this field?-
Special Remarks or Comments