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Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG)*

*Quinsey V.L., Harris G.T., Rice M.E., Cormier C.A. (2006)

In: Violent Offenders – Appraising and Managing Risk.
American Psychological Association, Washington DC


Items

This assessment applies to:

After the assessment is completed, this name will be irrevocably deleted.

1
Lived with both biological parents to age 16 (except for death of parent)
Score no if offender did not live continuously with both biological parents until age 16, except if one or both parents died. In the case of parent death, score as for yes.
2
Elementary school maladjustment
(up to and including Grade 8)
3
History of alcohol problems
Allot one point for each of the following: alcohol abuse in biological parent, teenage alcohol problem, adult alcohol problem, alcohol involved in a prior offense, alcohol involved in the index offense.
4
Marital status
(at time of index offense)
5
Criminal history score for convictions and charges for nonviolent offenses prior to the index offense
(from the Cormier-Lang system shown in Table A.l)
Offense (Score) / Number
Robbery (bank, store) (7) 0
Robbery (purse snatching) (3) 0
Arson and fire setting (church, house, barn) (5) 0
Arson and fire setting (garbage can) (1) 0
Threatening with a weapon, dangerous use of or pointing firearm (3) 0
Threatening (Uttering threats) (2) 0
Theft over a(includes car theft and possession of stolen property over a) (5) 0
Mischief to public or private property over a (5) 0
Break and enter and commit indictable offense (burglary) (2) 0
Theft under b(includes break and enter with intent to commit an offense b) (1) 0
Mischief to public or private property under b (1) 0
Break and enter (includes break and enter with intent to commit an offense (1) 0
Fraud (extortion, embezzlement) (5) 0
Fraud (forged check, impersonation) (1) 0
Possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon (1) 0
Procuring a person for or living on the avails of prostitution (1) 0
Trafficking in narcotics (1) 0
Dangerous driving, impaired driving (driving while intoxicated) (1) 0
Obstructing a peace officer (including resisting arrest) (1) 0
Causing a disturbance (1) 0
Wearing a disguise with the intent to commit an offense (1) 0
Indecent exposure (2) 0

a Roughly equivalent to grand larceny based on the value of the stolen property-as of 2003, over $5,000.00 (1 Euro=1.43 USD, 1 Euro=1.42 CAD, as at October 2007)

b Roughly equivalent to larceny based on the value of the stolen property-as of 2003, under $5,000.

Score and then total all charges and convictions for all counts of non-violent criminal offenses, including from the juvenile record. Do not count both a charge and a conviction if they are known to pertain to the same incident. In a case where sufficient information is known and there is a discrepancy between the charge and the conviction, use the more serious of the two, which almost exclusively will be the charge.

As the offense elements are based on the Criminal Code of Canada, a certain evaluation ability will be required in order to assess the offenses within other jurisdictions.

6
Failure on prior conditional release
(includes parole violation or revocation, breach of or failure to comply with recogniizance or probation, bail violation, and any new charges, inncluding the index offense, while on a conditional release)
7
Age at index offense
(at most recent birthday)
8
Victim injury
(index offense only; most serious injury is scored)
9
Any female victim
(for index offense)
10
Meets DSM-IIl criteria for any personality disorder
11
Meets DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia
12
Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised score
(PCL-R; Hare, 1991)
Childhood and Adolescent Taxon Scale (CATS)
1
Elementary school maladjustment (at least a minor discipline or attendance problem).
2
Teenage alcohol problem.
3
Childhood aggression problem (at least occasional minor physical assaults before age 15)
4
Childhood behavior problem before age 15. Three or more of the DSM-III antisocial personality disorder criteria from List B (American Psychiatric Association, 1980, p. 320).
5
Ever suspended or expelled from school.
6
Arrested under the age of 16.
7
Parental alcoholism.
8
Lived with both biological parents to age 16 (except for death of parenting).