Sex offenders: risk assessment and risk in assessment

Abstract

Sex offenders treatment, aimed to prevent recidivism, is performed in many Countries. In Italy, so far, punishment is the only way to manage this issue. No scientific evaluation of recidivism risk is performed as well, every assessment being referred to clinical judgment. The recidivism risk is not the same for all sex offenders, as well as their criminogenic needs. For this reason, it is important to evaluate each risk profile, to design a sound, individual treatment program. Most diffused sex offenders’ assessment tools are presented, some of which have been or are being validated for Italy: Risk Matrix 2000, Static-99R and STABLE 2007. The risks of a risk assessment performed per se, i.e. used to classify and not as a guideline to treatment, are also explained.