SARA

Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide

P. Randall Kropp, Ph.D. , Stephen D. Hart, Ph.D. , Christopher D. Webster, Ph.D. , Derek Eaves, M.B.

Helps criminal justice professionals predict the likelihood of domestic violence


SARA

Overview

Overview

The Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA) helps criminal justice professionals predict the likelihood of domestic violence by screening for risk factors in individuals who are suspected of, or who are being treated for spousal abuse.

Key Features:

  • Determine the extent to which risk factors of crucial predictive importance have been assessed with a quality control checklist
  • Helps determine the degree to which an individual poses a risk to his or her spouse, children, another family member, or any other person involved
  • Can be used by members of various boards or tribunals (e.g., parole and review boards, professional ethics committees, etc.) lawyers, victim’s rights advocates, and also prisoners’ rights advocates

The SARA is based on:

  • Interviews with the accused and the victim(s)
  • Standardized measures of physical and emotional abuse
  • Standardized measures of drug and alcohol abuse
  • Review of collateral records, including police reports, victim statements, and criminal records
  • Other psychological assessments as required or as available

Key Areas Measured


Key Areas Measured

Key areas measured diagram

Quick Reference

Age

Age

18 and Older

Administration Type

Administration Type

Professional

Administration Time

Administration Time

60 to 90 Minutes

Number of Items

Number of Items

20

Qualification Level

Qualification Level

B

Format(s)

Format(s)

Handscored

Reading Level

Reading Level

7th Grade

Complementary Tools

Complementary Tools

CAARS™: CE
LS/CMI
PCL-R™ 2nd Ed.

Quick Reference

Age

Age

18 and Older

Administration Type

Administration Type

Professional

Administration Time

Administration Time

60 to 90 Minutes

Number of Items

Number of Items

20

Qualification Level

Qualification Level

B

Format(s)

Format(s)

Handscored

Reading Level

Reading Level

7th Grade

Complementary Tools

Complementary Tools

CAARS™: CE
LS/CMI
PCL-R™ 2nd Ed.

Components

Components

Reliability and Validity

Reliability and Validity

Normative Data

Normative Data

SARA Checklist of Information Sources

The SARA Checklist of Information Sources is a checklist designed to ensure that all possible information resources have been tapped.

 

SARA QuikScore Form

The clinician-completed QuikScore form is a self-scoring form designed to screen for risk factors of spousal or family-related assault.

Reliability and Validity

The structural reliability of the SARA was evaluated according to Classical Test Theory indexes, including corrected item-total correlations for individual items, and internal consistency and item homogeneity correlations for composite scores. Interrater data were based solely on an interview, a review of case-history information, and the Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV) results. Three separate studies were conducted to examine the criterion validity of SARA ratings. In the first study, using a known-groups strategy, SARA ratings of inmates with a known history of spousal assault were compared to those of inmates at the same institutions who had no known history of spousal assault. Results showed that there were statistically significant differences between inmates with and without a history of spousal assault on all 20 SARA items. In the second study, the concurrent validity of the SARA ratings was analyzed against rating/scores on the PCL:SV, the General Statistical Information on Recidivism Scale (GSIR), and the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG). Results showed that the PCL:SV had moderate to high correlations with all SARA items. The GSIR and VRAG had a more complex pattern of results, but which support the convergent and discriminant validity of the SARA. The third study examined the ability of the SARA to discriminate between men who did or did not recidivate following referrals to a group treatment program for spousal assaulters. Results demonstrated that recidivistic and non-recidivistic spousal assaulters did not differ with respect to demographic characteristics or assault history.

Norms were established using two groups of adult male offenders (N = 2,309). The first group (probationers), comprised 1,671 men from three subsamples. The second group (inmates), comprised 638 men serving aggregate custodial sentences of 2 years or longer for various offenses, most often robbery. Further description of the normative sample is presented in the SARA User’s Manual.

Pricing
Online

Online

Assess easily online from anywhere. Includes automatic scoring and report generation.

Software

Software

Requires software. Includes automatic scoring and report generation.

Handscored

Handscored

QuikScore forms are scored by hand without reports.

Starter Kits
Certification

Starter Kits

Simulations

Simulations

Kits

Forms

SARA QuikScore Forms

SARA QuikScore Forms

Handscored
CA: $96.00
(Sold in packs of 25)

SARA Checklist Forms

SARA Checklist Forms

Handscored
CA: $57.00
(Sold in packs of 25)

Ortiz PVAT Licenses

Ortiz PVAT Licenses

Online Scoring

Online Scoring

Supplementary Materials

Supplementary Materials

Other Materials

Other Materials

SARA Manual

SARA Manual

Handscored
CA:
$99.00