This study investigated the discriminative and predictive validity of the Violence Risk Scale (VRS) for Aboriginal and non-Indigenous males convicted of violent offending. A sample of 2,689 assessments from multiple jurisdictions was used to examine the criminogenic profile of Australian males according to the VRS, along with reoffending outcomes.
Recidivism was measured based on a return to correctional supervision for a subsequent violent offence within two-year and five-year follow-up periods.
The VRS total score had moderate discriminative accuracy for violent reoffending at five-year follow-up. However, Aboriginal males were significantly more likely to be categorised as high risk, and further discrimination measures revealed disparities in the scale’s performance between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous males. Implications of the findings for correctional practice are discussed.
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URLs correct as at August 2025
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