Using Offender Risk Assessment Data to Explore Nonfatal Strangulation in the Context of Community Supervision

Risk assessments performed in the context of community supervision provide a unique opportunity to identify characteristics associated with high-risk domestic violence (DV) offenders. To date, however, few studies have used such data to explore the factors that differentiate offenders who have engaged in nonfatal strangulation (NFS) to other less severe forms of DV. Using data from the Wisconsin Risk Need assessment, the present study compares risk and need factors for offenders sentenced to probation for an offense involving NFS to a misdemeanor DV offense (n = 909). Results from logistic regression models showed that NFS offenders were more likely to have chronic alcohol problems as well as higher rates of marital, family, and emotional instability compared to misdemeanor DV offenders. Further, NFS offenders were less likely to have a history of probation revocations. These results may assist probation officers with the identification of characteristics that are more closely associated with the offender’s tendency to use strangulation. Further research is needed to explore the efficacy of additional risk assessment tools used with offenders who have engaged in NFS as part of DV.