How well does the Violence Risk Scale operate across cultures in the Australian context?
Co-presenters: Emma Ziersch and Yilma Woldgabreal

This presentation will share the findings from a cross-jurisdictional study of the Violence Risk Scale (VRS). The VRS is a risk assessment tool used in most correctional agencies to assess and predict risk of future offending, inform decisions around therapeutic intervention and measure changes in violence risk following treatment. While the tool has been used extensively both internationally and in Australia, its cross-cultural applicability to our Australian population is unclear. The study investigated the discriminative and predictive validity of the VRS for Aboriginal and non-Indigenous males convicted of violent offending in multiple jurisdictions.

This presentation will highlight the areas in which the tool performed differently for Aboriginal and non-Indigenous males in custody, and the implications of the findings for correctional practice. It will conclude with some recommendations to reduce bias in the assessment of Aboriginal people under correctional supervision. 

Emma Ziersch Bio:

Emma Ziersch has worked in the South Australian justice sector for nearly twenty-five years conducting research and evaluation on various initiatives and legislative reforms. This includes research on vehicle theft prevention, and evaluations of the Magistrates Drug Court program, young offender programs, and the impact of the Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act and the Intervention Response Model (IRM). During the past eight years Emma has worked at the Department for Correctional Services, undertaking research and evaluation on a range of programs and initiatives related to offender rehabilitation. Projects include various bail, housing and employment support initiatives, and reoffending studies of the Department’s Violence Prevention Program and Domestic and Family Violence Intervention Program.

Yilma Woldgabreal Bio:

Yilma Woldgabreal, PhD in Psychology, has dedicated over 25 years of service with the Department for Correctional Services in South Australia, and in 2024, he was awarded the National Australian Corrections Medal for his outstanding contributions. Throughout his career, Yilma has held various key roles ranging from frontline work to senior management in community corrections. Since 2016, Yilma has concentrated on rehabilitation programs as well as developing innovative initiatives for justice-involved individuals. Yilma also holds Adjunct Academic Status at Flinders University, has published broadly, and his research interests include forensic psychology risk assessment, challenges faced by ethnic minorities within the criminal justice system, and strength-based rehabilitation practices such as positive psychology interventions with offenders.