Maximizing Accuracy and Welcoming Scrutiny in SVP Evaluations:An Additional Response to Wilson and Looman

Using binary methodology to assess the accuracy of an actuarial instrument such as the Static-99R is entirely consistent with how those instruments are used in practice. Despite Wilson and Loomanʹs position to the contrary, the high-risk norms of the Static-99R appear less than representative of U.S. sex offenders subject to civil commitment. Unfortunately, the predictive accuracy of the Static-99R never exceeds that obtained by relying on the base rate alone. Attempts at protecting the Static-99R from scrutiny are ill advised, inviting skepticism and disrespect from triers of fact. DeClue and Campbell (2010) clearly detailed how binary methodology can be appropriately applied to the various Static instruments. This additional response emphasizes that progress in the field of sex-offender risk assessment, and basic ethical obligations, necessitate closely scrutinizing these instruments