Reliability and Validity of START and LSI-R Assessments in Mental Health Jail Diversion Clients

Evan M Lowder; Sarah L Desmarais; Candalyn B Rade; Kiersten L Johnson; Richard A Van Dorn

doi:10.1177/1073191117704505

Reliability and Validity of START and LSI-R Assessments in Mental Health Jail Diversion Clients

Evan M Lowder, Sarah L Desmarais, Candalyn B Rade, Kiersten L Johnson, Richard A Van Dorn

School of Behavioral Sciences & Education (Harrisburg)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Risk assessment instruments are increasingly used in mental health jail diversion programs. This study examined the reliability and validity of Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) and Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) assessments overall and by client race. Research assistants completed START and LSI-R assessments for 95 diversion clients. Arrests and jail days were collected via official records and self-report 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after baseline. Assessments demonstrated good interrater reliability and convergent validity. START strength total scores and LSI-R risk estimates were the strongest predictors of recidivism. Total scores and risk estimates did not differ as a function of client race, but there were some differences in accuracy of START vulnerability and LSI-R total scores and risk estimates in predicting jail days (but not arrests), over shorter follow-ups. No such differences were found for START strength total scores across any follow-up period or recidivism measure.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1073191117704505
Journal	Assessment
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191117704505
State	E-pub ahead of print - Apr 1 2017

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title = "Reliability and Validity of START and LSI-R Assessments in Mental Health Jail Diversion Clients",

abstract = "Risk assessment instruments are increasingly used in mental health jail diversion programs. This study examined the reliability and validity of Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) and Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) assessments overall and by client race. Research assistants completed START and LSI-R assessments for 95 diversion clients. Arrests and jail days were collected via official records and self-report 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after baseline. Assessments demonstrated good interrater reliability and convergent validity. START strength total scores and LSI-R risk estimates were the strongest predictors of recidivism. Total scores and risk estimates did not differ as a function of client race, but there were some differences in accuracy of START vulnerability and LSI-R total scores and risk estimates in predicting jail days (but not arrests), over shorter follow-ups. No such differences were found for START strength total scores across any follow-up period or recidivism measure.",

author = "Lowder, {Evan M} and Desmarais, {Sarah L} and Rade, {Candalyn B} and Johnson, {Kiersten L} and {Van Dorn}, {Richard A}",

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T1 - Reliability and Validity of START and LSI-R Assessments in Mental Health Jail Diversion Clients

AU - Lowder, Evan M

AU - Desmarais, Sarah L

AU - Rade, Candalyn B

AU - Johnson, Kiersten L

AU - Van Dorn, Richard A

PY - 2017/4/1

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N2 - Risk assessment instruments are increasingly used in mental health jail diversion programs. This study examined the reliability and validity of Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) and Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) assessments overall and by client race. Research assistants completed START and LSI-R assessments for 95 diversion clients. Arrests and jail days were collected via official records and self-report 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after baseline. Assessments demonstrated good interrater reliability and convergent validity. START strength total scores and LSI-R risk estimates were the strongest predictors of recidivism. Total scores and risk estimates did not differ as a function of client race, but there were some differences in accuracy of START vulnerability and LSI-R total scores and risk estimates in predicting jail days (but not arrests), over shorter follow-ups. No such differences were found for START strength total scores across any follow-up period or recidivism measure.

AB - Risk assessment instruments are increasingly used in mental health jail diversion programs. This study examined the reliability and validity of Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) and Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) assessments overall and by client race. Research assistants completed START and LSI-R assessments for 95 diversion clients. Arrests and jail days were collected via official records and self-report 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after baseline. Assessments demonstrated good interrater reliability and convergent validity. START strength total scores and LSI-R risk estimates were the strongest predictors of recidivism. Total scores and risk estimates did not differ as a function of client race, but there were some differences in accuracy of START vulnerability and LSI-R total scores and risk estimates in predicting jail days (but not arrests), over shorter follow-ups. No such differences were found for START strength total scores across any follow-up period or recidivism measure.

U2 - 10.1177/1073191117704505

DO - 10.1177/1073191117704505

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SP - 1073191117704505

JO - Assessment

JF - Assessment

ER -

Reliability and Validity of START and LSI-R Assessments in Mental Health Jail Diversion Clients

Abstract

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