Prolonging release in high-risk, complex, violent, male offenders.

Cavina, Darius (2024). Prolonging release in high-risk, complex, violent, male offenders. University of Birmingham. Foren.Psy.D.

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Abstract

The treatment and management of high-risk, violent, complex men released from custody to the community has gained much attention in recent years. This group are disproportionately affected by traits of personality disorder, making the processes of risk management and treatment both complex and slow. This thesis provides a detailed exploration of who services should target for intensive community interventions, what types of intervention appear to work with this complex group, and how best to measure the efficacy of such interventions. A general introduction to this area of research is presented, followed by a systematic review of the literature on how this group have typically been managed in the community. The findings are mixed, with some studies showing no effect of community interventions using recidivism outcome measures, but several high-quality studies finding strong intervention effects when contact begins in custody and continues into the community, thus representing a transitional service. Original research is then presented examining the efficacy of existing Intensive Intervention and Risk Management Services (IIRMS) and the Intensive Response Intensive Service (IRiS) project. Both cohorts are compared with large control groups matched using key variables. Whilst findings did not establish an overall intervention effect on survival time, for all participants, higher risk and personality complexity scores were predictive of shorter survival times in the community. The problems of defining and measuring ‘success in the community’ are discussed and a detailed examination of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) is presented. Discussions about the strengths and weaknesses of using recidivism measures, and the need to incorporate more nuanced measures of progress, including self-report well-being measures, are presented. Finally, a general discussion brings together the findings from this thesis, making recommendations for practice, so that those most in need are offered high-quality services that can be effectively measured.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Foren.Psy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Foren.Psy.D.

Supervisor(s):