JUVENILE SEX OFFENDER ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL

J-SOAP II

WJCIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2007

STEVENS POINT, WISCONSIN

GOALS OF WORKSHOP

Increase awareness of use of assessment tools with juvenile who offend sexually.

Describe components of the J-SOAP II

Demonstrate how the tool may be used on a case example

Status of Risk Assessment with Juvenile Sex Offenders

Risk Prediction- What does it mean?

Assess youth characteristics, history and behavior based on factors shown in the literature to be related to sexual re-offending.

Risk measures presence of potential problem

Likelihood that problem will occur

WHAT WE KNOW

Most studies: sexual recidivism base rates

5 – 14%Higher rates in some older, more

aggressive, and residential samplesMuch higher rates of nonsexual offendingTrue base rates are unknown

Adolescent Sex Offenders:Sexual vs. General Recidivism

FU up to 6 years

Recidivism % Sexual 7.5 -14% General Criminal 40 -60 %

(Langstrom & Grann, 2000)

LearningProblemsLearningProblems

Deviant SexualExperience

Deviant SexualExperience

CognitiveDistortionsCognitive

DistortionsDeviant Sexual

FantasiesDeviant Sexual

Fantasies

“Recidivism”“Recidivism”

Social Skills

Social Skills

(Kenny, Keogh, & Seidler, 2001)

Juvenile Sex offenders~ Ages: 13 - 21

Top 3 Factors for Adolescent Sexual Recidivism

Number of prior charged sex offenses

Number of victims

Duration of sexual offending

(Epperson, personal communication, 2005)

Risk Factors for Adolescent Sexual Recidivism (cont.)

Strongest Support:– Sexual Drive/Preoccupation

Previous sexual charges/convictions Deviant sexual interests (fantasies, pre-occupations, &

behaviors) Stranger victims

– Antisocial Behaviors

(Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2004) (Worling & Langstrom, 2002)(Workling & Curwen, 2000)Schram, Milloy et al., 2001)

Deviant Sexual Interests

“Adolescents who offend sexually and are sexually interested in pre-pubescent children or in sexual violence are at increased risk of committing subsequent sexual offenses.”

(Worling & Langstrom, 2002)

JUVENILES WHO PERSISTED INTO ADULTHOOD

Low social competence

High rates of antisocial behavior

High rates of impulsivity

(Knight & Prentky, 1993)

“….the purpose of risk assessment is to speculate in an educated way about the violence that an individual might commit, and to identify what is required to stop such violence from occurring.”

(Hart, 1999, p. 487)

Purpose of Risk Assessment

Guide development for treatment plans Determine level of treatment intervention Determine level of supervision/security Inform ongoing risk management of juvenile

sex offenders Use in conjunction with other tools Tools do not replace clinical judgments

ASSESSMENTS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS

THE DATA THEY ARE BASED UPON

Status of Risk Assessments Continued

No validated instruments currently exist Several tools are being used as guides

while validation and testing studies are underway.

J-SOAP II ERASOR 2 J-SORRAT II

ERASOR- Worling and Curwen Twenty five items grouped into five domains “Empirically guided checklist” Estimate the short-term risk of sexual re-offense for youth

aged 12-18. Being used in U.S., Canada, and other countries.

J-SORRAT –Epperson et. al Test samples being drawn from Utah and Iowa Applies to juvenile males (no 18 year olds) Twelve items

Risk Assessment Tool Continued

The Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol II

J-SOAP II

J-SOAP Development

Bases on clinical studies of juveniles who sexually offend

Risk assessment/outcome studies of juveniles who sexually offend

Risk assessment/outcome studies from the general juvenile delinquency literature

Risk factor assessment/outcome studies of adults who offend sexually

J-SOAP II

Empirically-informed assessment guide Used to identify risk & needs Non-sexual offending as well as sexual

offending To assist with short-term risk assessment To assist with finding appropriate treatment

and case planning

J-SOAP II

Includes static and dynamic factors

Males aged 12-18

“Hands on” sexual offenses

J-SOAP II Scales

Static / Historical ScalesSexual Drive/Preoccupation Scale Impulsive-Antisocial Behavior Scale

Dynamic Scales Intervention ScaleCommunity Stability Scale

Description of J-SOAP II(Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol)

Tool consists of 28 items grouped into four domains or scales

1. Sexual Drive/Sexual Preoccupation

2. Impulse/Antisocial Behavior

3. Intervention

4. Community Stability/Adjustment Scale

J-SOAP II Static Items

1. Sexual Drive / Sexual Preoccupation Scale

1. Prior legally charged sex offenses

2. Number of sexual abuse victims

3. Male child victim

4. Duration of sexual offense history

5. Degree of planning in sexual offense(s)

6. Sexualized aggression

7. Sexual drive and preoccupation

8. Sexual victimization history

J-SOAP II Static Items

2. Impulsive / Antisocial Behavior Scale9. Caregiver consistency10. Pervasive anger11. School behavior problems12. History of conduct disorder before age 1013. Juvenile antisocial behavior [age 10-17]14. Charged or arrested before age 1615. Multiple types of offenses16. Physical assault history and/or exposure to

family violence

J-SOAP II Dynamic Items

3. Intervention Scale17. Accept responsibility for sexual offense(s)

18. Internal motivation for change

19. Understanding risk factors & applies risk management strategies

20. Empathy

21. Remorse and guilt

22. Cognitive distortions

23. Quality of peer relationships

J-SOAP II Dynamic Items

4. Community Stability / Adjustment Scale

24. Management of sexual urges and desires

25. Management of anger

26. Family stability

27. Stability in school

28. Evidence of support systems

Scoring 0 to 2 Format

0 Apparent absence of the item

1 Some information suggesting item’s presence

2 Clear presence of the item

J-SOAP – II SUMMARY FORM

STATIC / HISTORICAL SCALES Sexual Drive/Preoccupation Scale Score: __ /16 = __ Add Items 1-8 (range:

0-16)] Impulsive-Antisocial Behavior Scale Score: __/16 = __

[Add Items 9-16 (range: 0-16)]

DYNAMIC SCALES Intervention Scale Score: __/14 = __

[Add Items 17 - 23 (range 0-14)] Community Stability Scale Score: __/10 = __

[Add Items 24 – 28 (range: 0-10)]

J-SOAP – II SUMMARY FORM

STATIC SCALES– [Add items 1 – 16] ___ /32 = ___

DYNAMIC SCALES– [Add items 17 – 28] ___/24 = ___

Total J-SOAP II Score – [Add items 1-28] ___/56 = ___

When is the J-SOAP II Scored?

At intake as part of a comprehensive assessment Post treatment / pre-release from JCI, RCC etc Follow-up Treatment and supervision in community

(every 90 days)

RE-ASSESSMENT

Teens Risk status is likely to

change, sometimes rapidly

Re-assess at least every six months

More frequently if risk- relevant changes occur

Who Can Score the J-SOAP II?

You!!!

Social Workers

Agents/County Aftercare Staff

Clinicians

Contract Treatment Providers

J-SOAP II STRENGTHS

J-SOAP-II is an empirically-informed guide It facilitates systematic assessments of a

uniform set of items that may reflect increased risk to reoffend with a sexual or nonsexual offense

J-SOAP-II may be particularly useful for informing and guiding treatment and risk management decisions

LIMITATIONS

Additional studies with J-SOAP II are required Adequate predictive validity studies still are

needed There are no “cut-off” scores Scores are not associated with probability levels

of reoffending J-SOAP-II is not an actuarial scale

ASSESSMENT REMINDERS

Assessments are only as good as the data they are based upon

Control for “evaluator thinking errors”

Risk assessment is just one component of a comprehensive assessment

Evaluations have a life of their own

Advocate for timely reassessments

Case Study