The Predictive Validity of the Level of Service Inventory-Ontario Revision on General and Violent Recidivism among Various Offender Groups

Abstract

The Level of Service Inventory-Ontario Revision (LSI-OR) is the most recent edition of a popular risk/need assessment tool designed to predict recidivism among offenders. The current investigation ( N = 630) examined the predictive validity of the Level of Service Inventory-Ontario Revision, its various subscales, and a Specific Risk/Need section designed to predict violent recidivism. Inmates scored significantly higher on all scales and were more likely to recidivate than probationers during a 31-month follow-up. The General Risk/Need score correlated highly with general recidivism and, to a lesser extent, with violent recidivism. It also produced similar predictive correlations among subgroups of sexual offenders, domestic violence offenders, and offenders with mental health problems. The Specific Risk/Need scale produced a slightly higher correlation with violent recidivism. The theoretical implications of these findings and practical value of this modified instrument are discussed.