An assessment of the risk of recidivism in convicted sexual offenders in Nyeri Maximum Security Prison Kenya
Abstract
Introduction
Sexual offence recidivism can contribute significantly to the total tally of sexual
offences in a community. The risk of re-offending varies from one individual
offender to the other so that assessing the level of risk in any particular offender can
help in planning his/her management in order to minimize the risk.
Various methods of risk assessment have been developed and used in some countries
to achieve this objective. These methods fall in two main categories, the actuarial and
the clinical. Some approaches have used a combination of these two approaches in an
attempt to improve the predictive validity achieved by the other two.
Objectives
(a) To determine the levels of risk of recidivism in a population of convicted sexual
offenders.
(b) To assess adequacy of data in forensic records, that is relevant to risk of re-offending
in convicted Sexual Offenders.
(c) Make recommendations on the application of risk assessment procedures in
preventing recidivism by Sex Offenders discharged from correctional institutions.
(d) Make recommendations for further research.
Study design: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study.
Methodology: Those who volunteered for the study and gave informed written
consent were interviewed using a socio-demographic questionnaire. Then the risk
assessment instrument-the Static-99 - was scored from documented information as
well as self-reports.
Results
Of the 79 subjects, 48 (60.76%), were convicted of defilement and attempted
defilement, 19 (24.05%), of rape and attempted rape, 5 (6.33), of incest, 3 (3.8%), of
unnatural offences and another 4 (5.06%), of indecent assault. For the risk
assessment scores, 29 (36.6%), of the 79 participants had a Low Risk Category, 41
(51.9%), had a Medium Low Risk level of recidivism while 9 (11.4%), had a
medium High level risk of recidivism. The Scores ranged from 0-5 with a mean score
of 2.06 (SO 1.18).
Conclusions
The subjects obtained a risk of recidivism score of between 0-5 on the Static-99
instrument. These translated to a risk of recidivism score of a low of 5% to a high of
40% for the 0 and 5 score respectively. Other subjects fell in between. In the study
sexual offenders of all age groups were represented in the sample. However, most
offenders were in the younger age groups below the age of forty.
Citation
Masterof Science Degree In Clinical Psychology, The University Of Nairobi, 2008.Publisher
University of Nairobi. Department of Psychiatry