Putting responsivity into risk assessment: the use of the Structured Assessment of Risk and Need (SARN) with sexual offenders who have an intellectual disability
| Date | 09 September 2013 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JIDOB-05-2013-0009 |
| Pages | 77-89 |
| Published date | 09 September 2013 |
| Author | Kerensa Hocken,Belinda Winder,Andy Grayson |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities,Offending behaviour |
Putting responsivity into risk assessment:
the use of the Structured Assessment of
Risk and Need (SARN) with sexual
offenders who have an intellectual disability
Kerensa Hocken, Belinda Winder and Andy Grayson
Kerensa Hocken is a Senior
Forensic Psychologist, based
at Her Majesty’s Prison Service
Whatton, Nottingham, UK.
Dr Belinda Winder is Head of
Sexual Offences, Crime and
Misconduct Unit and Dr Andy
Grayson is a Reader in
Psychology, both are based
at Psychology Department,
Nottingham Trent University,
Nottingham, UK.
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relevance of the Structured Assessment of Risk
and Need (SARN) for sexual offenders with intellectual disability (ID).
Design/methodology/approach – A thematic analysis was conducted on the transcript of a discussion
group of experts who work with sex offenders with ID in custody.
Findings – The principal concern of the researchers at the outset of the paper was that the risk factors
within the SARN might not be relevant to sexual offenders with an intellectual disability. However, what
emerged from the analysis was that, from the perspective of expert practitioners,the limitations of the SARN
with respect to working with sex offenders with ID is as much to do with the way in which it is administered,
as it is to do with its “content”.
Practical implications – The process of risk assessment is critical when assessing risk with sex offenders
with ID, highlighting the importance of incorporating responsivity principles into the risk assessment
process.
Originality/value – The paper encourages risk assessors to rethink their assumptions about indicators
of risk and progress and provides guidance about how practitioners can assess risk more effectively
with sex offenders with ID.
Keywords Risk factors, Intellectual Disability, Risk assessment, SARN,Sex offenders, Thematic analysis
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Over recent years the imperative of inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities (IDs)
has resulted in legal requirements to provide equal access to services and opportunities
(The Stationary Office, 1995/2005; Equality Act, 2010). These laws also apply to prisoners
within the criminal justice system and recently a prisoner with an ID won a judicial review to have
equal access to treatment programmes for violent offending behaviour (Gill v. Secretary of State
for Justice, 2010). However, “inclusion” does not simply involve offering existing services to all; it
also involves making reasonable adjustments to those services to ensure equality of access and
opportunity. Currently sexual offenders in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
who have an ID are offered an adapted version of the Sex Offender Treatment Programme
(SOTP), called Becoming New Me (BNM). However, when the “service” in question is a risk
assessment, which will impact upon treatment opportunities and potentially delay or facilitate
possible release dates, the importance of identifying and incorporating requisite adjustments is
crucial. So, what “reasonable adjustments” need to be made with regard to risk assessment for
sex offenders with IDs?
The first author has received partial
funding from the Prison Service
towards this research, which forms
part of a programme of doctoral
study. The authors would like to
thank the treatment managers for
the Becoming New Me programme
in England and Wales for their
valuable input; without this, the
research would not have been
possible. They specially thank
Fiona Williams from Operational
Support and Interventions Group,
National Offender Management
Service. Many of the suggestions
for interviewing offenders with ID
outlined in this paper are based on
techniques used on the Becoming
New Me Programme run in prisons
and the probation service, for which
she is responsible.
DOI 10.1108/JIDOB-05-2013-0009 VOL. 4 NO. 3/4 2013, pp. 77-89, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8824
j
JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR
j
PAGE 77
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