Brief Overview of
Project
The
COMSKILLS programme is a thematic action involving parallel, complementary
studies in three EU countries and one associated country (Germany, the
Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Norway). Its aim is to introduce and
develop a unified approach to assessment of social risk and related behaviours
in offender groups in the EU. It has involved parallel cohort studies
of offenders in forensic psychiatric care in each country, using a robust behavioural
profiling battery (the Behavioural Status Index) with cross-validators (the HCR-20;
PCL-R; SCL-R-90; and BDHI-D). The behavioural instrument has been substantially
studied in the United Kingdom, and shows good construct validity, emergent predictive
validity, excellent test-retest reliability and robust structure. One purpose
of this network has been to introduce the BEST-Index into cross-border
contexts, where it allows systematic cross-cultural profiling of offenders
and ongoing monitoring of their responses to rehabilitative therapy. It will
be available in
multilingual format suitable for use in many other EU countries; and will
facilitate preparation of individual profiles for offenders
which can accompany them throughout their subsequent treatment careers. Important
elements of the study are improvement of carer
assessments; related care planning and delivery; built-in learning for
assessors; piloting of actuarial "country
profiles"; and qualitative studies of carer development and clinical change processes.
It is posited that more effective and
efficient rehabilitation of violent and aggressive offenders in the EU will result.
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