ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the psychological assessment of a violent adult female in prison, Amy. The assessment was commissioned by Amy’s solicitor for the purpose of her impending parole board. Dynamic risk assessment revealed a complex set of risk factors, including violent ideation and fantasies, substance misuse, mental health difficulties, past trauma, sexual sadism, and personality disorder. This assessment resulted in the conclusion that Amy presented with a moderate-to-high level of risk of future violent reoffending and that imminence would be high if she were released at the time of assessment. It was evident that during her years in prison, Amy had engaged in beneficial treatment although she had omitted discussing the sexual element of her offending and past sexually violent fantasies. This was, in my opinion, a central risk factor for future offending. Through risk assessment and clinical interview, it was concluded that Amy required further individual intervention to address her self-efficacy, to help her to set goals, and to explore the sexual element to her violent thoughts which she had, at the time of assessment, not yet felt confident enough to discuss. The concept of sexual sadism was also discussed, as well as its applicability to Amy.
