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Abstract: 

This article examines the growing use of the PCLR-R in evaluating sexually violent predators. While the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is repeatedly cited as the gold standard for assessing this construct and is currently admitted in SVP cases in most jurisdictions, there are concerns about uneven application of the test, administrator bias or error, and even about the degree to which psychopathy relates to sexual offending. This article surveys some of the current research on the PCL-R’s reliability and validity in assessing risk of recidivism and suggests areas where additional research is necessary.

Keywords: Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R); Psychopathy and Sexual Offending

Affiliations:  1: John Jay College of Criminal Justice Masters Program in Forensic Psychology; 2: John Jay College of Criminal Justice; 3: Fairleigh Dickenson University.