Risk Assessment approaches for Youth who have Sexually Offended: The Violece Risk Sexual-Youth Sexual Offense version (VRS-YSO)

Keira C. Stockdale

This workshop provides an overview of assessment approaches, recent findings, and issues in sexual offense risk assessment with male juvenile populations. The Violence Risk Scale-Youth Sexual Offense version (VRS-YSO; Olver, Rojas, Lewis, Gordon, & Wong, 2017), a dynamic risk assessment and treatment planning tool for youth who have sexually offended, will be reviewed in detail as an illustrative approach. Attendees will have the opportunity discuss practice cases employing the VRS-YSO and to discuss their own cases. Implications for sexual offense risk management and support for youth and families to prevent future sexual offending and promote healthy functioning and wellbeing is discussed. 

Keira C. Stockdale obtained a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Saskatchewan in 2008. Her doctoral research involved a psychometric evaluation of a violence risk assessment and treatment planning tool for youth: the Violence Risk Scale - Youth Version. Her clinical experiences have included the provision of assessment and treatment services to high-risk, justice-involved adult and youth in both institutional and community settings. Keira is currently employed at the Saskatoon Police Service with a mandate to provide clinical and behavioral science knowledge/expertise to the design, implementation, and evaluation of police and integrated community practices with the goal of increasing community safety and wellbeing. Keira is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology and Health Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. She is currently working on applied research initiatives with university, government, and police partners as part of a recently established police analytics lab, and supervises psychology graduate students, residents, and postdoctoral fellows in clinical and research activities.