Read the following summary about an offender who is applying for parole.

Description

Jason Booth is a 23-year-old first-time federal offender currently serving a three-year sentence at a medium-security federal penitentiary for possession of property obtained by crime of $5000, carrying a concealed weapon, and failure to comply with a probation order. He pled guilty to all these charges. He has served one year of his sentence and has applied for full parole.

When Jason was arrested, he was driving a stolen car and had a handgun, and because he was on probation for a previous conviction at the time, his possession of both of these items constituted a breach of probation. He had been released from custody for his previous charge only two weeks prior to committing these offences.

Official records indicate that the courts have sentenced Jason 10 times (7 times in youth court and 3 times in adult court) for a total of 17 convictions (10 in youth court and 7 in adult court) for assault, assault with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, criminal harassment, obstructing a peace officer, breaking and entering, theft under $1000, theft under $5000, failure to attend court, unlawfully at large, and failure to comply with a probation order.

Jason had violated probation several times and has engaged in violence in institutions (e.g., spitting in a correctional officer's face, stabbing another inmate with a pen). He has also engaged in violence in the community (e.g., assaulting his girlfriend, threatening to kill a bouncer at a bar).

At his parole hearing, Jason explained that he committed the current offences because he had just been released from prison and would not be receiving any social assistance for two weeks. He seemed to feel that the only way to obtain money was to steal a car. He was unable to generate any prosocial alternatives by which he could have obtained assistance. In addition, Jason minimized his criminal history and the harm he has done to his victims. For example, he stated that one of his past victims, a woman whom he criminally harassed and threaten to kill, was "a spoiled brat who deserved what she got". Most of Jason's friends are criminals.

In the psychological report, Jason was described as hostile, arrogant, manipulative, impulsive, and remorseless. Jason denies any current problems with drugs or alcohol. Neither drugs nor alcohol have been involved in his current or past offences.

Jason was reportedly diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when he was 9 years old. He was never interested in school and was expelled numerous times. He completed Grade 9 but as absent for most of Grade 10. He dropped out of school when he was 16 years old. Jason's employment history consists of several short-term jobs, with the longest job lasting for one year. He has few employment skills and tends to get into altercations with his boss and other employees. He was fired from his last job for stealing merchandise from the company's warehouse. During his current incarceration, he has refused educational and vocational training.

Jason's biological father, who reportedly has been incarcerated himself, left Jason's mother when Jason was 3 years old. Jason was raised by his biological mother and an alcohol-abusing stepfather. His stepfather reportedly threw Jason out of the house when he was 13 years old because of his stealing and other disruptive behaviours. Jason was subsequently placed in a series of foster and group homes. He was often moved from home to home because of his aggressive and disruptive behaviour.

There is evidence that Jason has assaulted former intimate partners. Past reports indicate Jason can be jealous and overly controlling, having unreasonable expectations in relationships with women. He reportedly has two children of his own but does not maintain contact with either of them. At his parole hearing, Jason said that when he is released he and his ex-common-law spouse, a partner he assaulted in the past, plan to resume their relationship.

Jason plans to live with his mother when he is released. His mother is very supportive of Jason and has agreed tp try and help him adjust as much as possible. He typically live on social assistance or obtains money from criminal behaviours when in the community.

There is no evidence that Jason has ever successfully completed either institutional or community programming. He is typically uncooperative with attempts at assessment and treatment. However, he has recently expressed an interest in treatment programs.

Instructions

Pretend you are the forensic psychologist assessing Jason. Your task as the psychologist is to determine whether or not the offender should be granted parole and justify your decision. Specifically, recall what you learned about the important factors and considerations related to risk assessment. For your answer, consider these questions in your decision:

• What risk factors for future reoffending are present?
• Are there any protective factors present?
• How likely is Jason to commit another nonviolent or violent crime if he is released?
• Which risk-assessment instruments would you use to help determine Jason's risk for future crime and violence?