Reliability of sexually violent predator civil commitment criteria in Florida.
The present study investigated the reliability of Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) civil commitment criteria under Florida's Jimmy Ryce Act. The purpose of the study was to determine if, independently, 2 evaluators would reach the same conclusions about the same client (n = 295). According to civil commitment criteria outlined by the United States Supreme Court (Kansas v. Hendricks, 1997), SVPs must display a mental abnormality predisposing them to sexual violence and a likelihood of future sexual violence. The interrater reliability of 8 DSM-IV diagnoses applied by evaluators to determine whether a client has a "mental abnormality that predisposes him to sexual violence" was found to be poor to fair (kappa = .23 to . 70). The interrater reliability of risk assessment instruments used to determine "likelihood of reoffense" was good (ICC = .77 to .85). The recommendations made by evaluators regarding whether or not to refer a client for civil commitment demonstrated poor reliability (kappa = .54). Implications for practice and policy are explored.
Levenson
Jill S
JS
School of Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, ECS 460, Miami, Florida 33199, USA. jsljwm@bellsouth.net
D000328:Adult; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015588:Observer Variation; D010262:Paraphilic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012448:Sadism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data