NCJ Number
203612
Journal
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Dated: 2003 Pages: 121-139
Date Published
2003
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study estimated the probabilities of rearrest for sex offenders apprehended in Western Australia between April 1984 and December 1994.
Abstract
A total of 226,704 individuals were involved in 597,640 arrest events that included 870,239 charges. In estimating the probabilities of rearrest, the study established the order and timing of arrest events from the time of first arrest. Based on fingerprint identification, the sample was refined to exclude all cases that had an arrest record for any offense prior to the study's start date of April 1, 1984. This led to the exclusion of 62,238 cases, leaving 164,466 individuals (116,151 males) who were arrested for the first time during the study period. Cases arrested in 1984 could be followed for a maximum of 10.75 years. On average, subjects were followed for 5.7 years from their first arrest, and their ages ranged from 13 to 80 years. Survival analysis used by Broadhurst and Maller (1992), Broadhurst and Loh (1995), and Maller and Zhou (1996) was used to estimate the probability of rearrest. An important feature of this method is taking into account the bias produced by censored follow-up times. Data were obtained on criminal record, Aboriginality, bail status, age, occupation, and penal intervention. Rearrests were determined for any offense, repeat sex offense, or a violent offense. The probability for rearrest for any offense was estimated to be 0.61; for a sex offense, 0.33; and for a violent offense, 0.51. Probabilities of rearrest for non-Aboriginal offenders were lower for all definitions. Younger offenders, Aborigines, and those with prior arrest for non-sex offenses had higher probabilities for rearrests for any offense or a violent offense, but older offenders tended to have higher probabilities of repeat sex offending. Community supervision and imprisonment significantly reduced the rate or speed of rearrest. This report advises that actuarial risk assessment for low-probability, serious-consequence events such as violent offenses and sex offenses are useful for identifying groups with a high probability of rearrest, so as to develop appropriate management strategies for these groups and to evaluate the effectiveness of penal interventions. 2 tables, 2 figures, 8 notes, 59 references, and appended data on sex offense by race, prior non-sex offense, and rearrest type by cut-off date of December 31, 1994