ABFM Risk Assessment & Mitigation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study found that the strongest predictor of community violence among discharged psychiatric patients was:
- Diagnosis of schizophrenia
- Prior arrests for violent offenses
- Substance abuse comorbidity (Correct answer)
- Male gender
Correct answer: Substance abuse comorbidity
The MacArthur Study found that substance abuse comorbidity was the single strongest predictor of community violence in discharged psychiatric patients.
Question 2: A sex offender's score on the STATIC-99R places him in the 'above average' risk category. Which statement is most accurate?
- He will definitely reoffend sexually
- He has a higher recidivism rate than average sex offenders in the normative sample (Correct answer)
- He should be civilly committed
- His dynamic risk factors no longer matter
Correct answer: He has a higher recidivism rate than average sex offenders in the normative sample
An 'above average' STATIC-99R score means the individual's recidivism rate exceeds that of the comparison group; it is probabilistic, not deterministic.
Question 3: Which risk mitigation strategy is most appropriate for a high-risk parolee with antisocial personality traits?
- Intensive supervision with cognitive-behavioral programming (Correct answer)
- Insight-oriented psychodynamic therapy only
- Immediate civil commitment
- Pharmacological treatment with antipsychotics
Correct answer: Intensive supervision with cognitive-behavioral programming
Intensive supervision combined with cognitive-behavioral programming targeting antisocial thinking is the evidence-based approach for managing high-risk offenders in the community.
Question 4: In occupational toxicology risk assessment, the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) is established by:
- CDC
- OSHA (Correct answer)
- EPA
- NIOSH
Correct answer: OSHA
OSHA establishes Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs), which are legally enforceable standards for occupational exposure to hazardous substances.
Question 5: Which of the following best defines 'risk communication' in forensic medicine?
- Notifying the court of a patient's diagnosis
- Conveying the probability and nature of a risk to relevant decision-makers in understandable terms (Correct answer)
- Publishing toxicology findings in peer-reviewed literature
- Sharing raw test data with defense attorneys
Correct answer: Conveying the probability and nature of a risk to relevant decision-makers in understandable terms
Risk communication involves translating complex probabilistic findings into clear, accurate, and useful information for judges, attorneys, juries, and other stakeholders.
Question 6: A forensic evaluator determines a defendant poses 'low risk' for future violence. The court should interpret this as:
- The defendant will not commit violence in any circumstance
- The defendant's risk level is below that of a comparable reference group (Correct answer)
- The defendant is suitable for immediate release without conditions
- The risk assessment is not admissible
Correct answer: The defendant's risk level is below that of a comparable reference group
A 'low risk' classification is comparative and probabilistic, meaning the individual falls below the average risk relative to the normative group—not that violence is impossible.
Question 7: The 'R' in the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model stands for Responsivity, which primarily means:
- The offender's response to incarceration conditions
- Tailoring treatment methods to the offender's learning style and abilities (Correct answer)
- The legal system's response to the risk assessment report
- The recidivism rate of the treatment program
Correct answer: Tailoring treatment methods to the offender's learning style and abilities
The Responsivity principle holds that interventions should be matched to the offender's cognitive and social abilities to maximize treatment effectiveness.
ABFM Risk Assessment & Mitigation 3
The MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study found that the strongest predictor of community violence among discharged psychiatric patients was: