Prevalence of Dangerousness to Public, Criminogenic Risk Factors and Psychopathic Traits in Child-to-Parent Offenders and Contrast with Non-Child-to-Parent Offenders

Abstract

Aim: Child-to-parent offenders (CPOs) are commonly specialist offenders and with high rates of recidivism. Thus, a field study was designed to estimate the prevalence in the reference measures of recidivism i.e., dangerousness, risk factors and psychopathy, and compare CPOs with non-child-to-parent juvenile offenders. Method: 136 juvenile offenders (76.5% boys), 76 CPOs and 60 non-CPOs juvenile offenders, aged from 14 to 18 years old, were measured in dangerousness, risk of factors and psychopathic traits. Results: The results showed in CPOs a more than common prevalence (> .50), 75.0%, 95% CI [.653, .847], of dangerousness (caseness); a significant prevalence (> .05) of diagnostic of psychopathy, 25.0%, 95% CI [.150, .350]; and a common prevalence (= .50), 55.3%, 95% CI [.441, .665] of classification as high and very high risk by risk factors. Comparatively, no significant differences were observed between CPOs and non-CPOS juvenile offenders in mental health problems (dangerousness), meanwhile that CPOs exhibited significant more interpersonal and affective psychopathic traits and significant more risk in family circumstances, and personality and behaviour risk factors. Conclusions: The implications for prevention and intervention programs with CPOs are discussed