David Thornton
Biographic Data
| ID | 3944584 |
|---|---|
| NAME | David Thornton |
| GIVEN NAMES | David |
| FAMILY NAME | Thornton |
| SIGNATURE | THORNTON D |
| AFFILIATIONS | Forensic Assessment, Training, & Research, LLC |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0127-1104 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 12 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1976 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
How to Combine the Static-99R With the Saprof-SO
The SAPROF-SO was developed as a measure of protective factors relevant to sexual recidivism to support a balanced, holistic assessment of recidivism risk. Traditionally, sexual recidivism risk has been largely understood in terms of the density of risk factors presented by the individual, as measured by instruments like the Static-99R. This paper investigated how far the recidivism risk implied by a Static-99R score would be moderated by the pre…
The more, the merrier: Irish (and Scottish) bishops in fourteenth-century collective indulgences from Avignon
This paper examines the occurrence of bishops of Irish dioceses among the grantors of so-called ‘collective indulgences’ at Avignon between 1322 and 1363 and attempts to demonstrate how these indulgences can facilitate our knowledge of the episcopate in Ireland during the fourteenth century. Over 140 references to Irish bishops have been collected and are discussed, along with twenty occurrences of bishops from Scotland for the same period, plus …
Why are individuals over age 60 still committed as sexually violent persons
Civilly committed sexually violent persons (SVPs) are a select group of individuals designated as high risk for future sexual violence. Despite risk reduction in older age, SVP programs are seeing aging client populations, with many individuals remaining committed after age 60 (60+). Recent research found a sexual recidivism rate of 7.5% for 60+ individuals released from an SVP civil commitment program. The current paper follows up by examining r…
Recidivism and violations among sexually violent persons on supervised release
Risk-tinted spectacles: What influences evaluator decision making in sexually violent persons examinations
Does Reassessment Improve Prediction? A Prospective Study of the Sexual Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (Sotips)
This prospective study examined the predictive validity of the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS; McGrath et al., 2012), a sexual recidivism risk/need tool designed to identify dynamic (changeable) risk factors relevant to supervision and treatment. The SOTIPS risk tool was scored by probation officers at two sites ( n = 565) for three time points: near the start of community supervision, at 6 months, and then at 12 m…
Incremental Contributions of Static and Dynamic Sexual Violence Risk Assessment: Integrating Static-99R and VRS-SO Common Language Risk Levels
We examined the incremental contributions of static and dynamic sexual violence risk assessment in a multisite sample of 1,289 men treated for sexual offending. The study extends validation work that established new risk categories and recidivism estimates for the Violence Risk Scale–Sexual Offense version (VRS-SO), using the risk assessment common language (CL) framework. Different rates of sexual recidivism were observed at different thresholds…
Are Civilly Detained and Committed Sexually Violent Persons Released After Age 60 Low Risk
Older age is a well-established protective factor against sexual recidivism. However, research on the effects of aging in individuals considered for civil commitment as sexually violent persons (SVPs) is limited. The current study investigated 53 such individuals released after age 60: 15 were released following dismissal of the civil commitment petition, and 38 were discharged following civil commitment. Recidivism outcomes, including details of…
Neural Correlates of Moral Judgment in Criminal Offenders with Sadistic Traits
Are Protective Factors Valid Constructs? Interrater Reliability And Construct Validity Of Proposed Protective Factors Against Sexual Reoffending
Most sexual recidivism risk assessment tools focus primarily on risk factors and deficits without consideration for strengths or protective factors which might mitigate reoffense risk. The current study is the first in a research program designed to develop and validate the Structured Assessment of PROtective Factors for violence risk—Sexual Offence version (SAPROF-SO), a measure of protective factors against sexual reoffending. The study aimed t…
Validating the Utility of the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire With Men Who Have Sexually Offended Against Children
The Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire (WSFQ) assesses the use of 40 specific sexual fantasies, which are grouped into four overarching themes (Intimate, Exploratory, Impersonal, and Sadomasochistic). It also includes two items that reflect characteristics associated with children. Since sexual fantasies are a key factor in sex offender treatment, the present study tested the validity of the WSFQ for use with men who have sexually offended against …
Reductions in risk based on time offense-free in the community: Once a sexual offender, not always a sexual offender
Release from the Sex Offender Label
Inpatients' expectations and experiences of hospital pharmacy services: Qualitative study
INTRODUCTION: Hospital pharmacists' have traditionally focused on the manufacture and supply of medicines. However, the increasing complexity and range of medicines and a greater awareness of medication errors has facilitated a change towards a patient-centred role. Given this movement, it is surprising that a search of the published literature shows very little research that evaluated patients' views of hospital-based pharmacy services. OBJECTIV…
Assessing risk of sex offenders with major mental illness: Integrating research into best practices
Purpose Sex Offenders with a Major Mental Illness (SOMMI) are doubly stigmatized, as these individuals are members of two highly marginalized social groups (Guidry and Saleh, 2004). Within each of these groups SOMMI only represent a small minority. For professionals seeking to base their practice in empirical research this has led to a significant problem since the literature related specifically to this group is both limited and hard to locate. …
Assessing Risk for Sexual Recidivism: Some Proposals on the Nature of Psychologically Meaningful Risk Factors
Risk assessment and treatment for sexual offenders should focus on individual characteristics associated with recidivism risk. Although it is possible to conduct risk assessments based purely on empirical correlates, the most useful evaluations also explain the source of the risk. In this review, the authors propose that the basic requirements for a psychologically meaningful risk factor are (a) a plausible rationale that the factor is a cause of…
Evidence Regarding the Need for a Diagnostic Category for a Coercive Paraphilia
The instructional design portfolio: Using an internet-controlled robot to facilitate learning
Improving risk assessments for sex offenders: A comparison of three actuarial scales.
The study compared the predictive accuracy of three sex offender risk-assessment measures: the RRASOR (Hanson, 1997), Thornton's SACJ-Min (Grubin, 1998), and a new scale, Static-99, created by combining the items from the RRASOR and SACJ-Min. Predictive accuracy was tested using four diverse datasets drawn from Canada and the United Kingdom (total n = 1301). The RRASOR and the SACJ-Min showed roughly equivalent predictive accuracy, and the combin…
A Statistical Profile of Canadian Society
A Statistical Profile of Canadian Society
Improving risk assessments for sex offenders: A comparison of three actuarial scales.
The study compared the predictive accuracy of three sex offender risk-assessment measures: the RRASOR (Hanson, 1997), Thornton's SACJ-Min (Grubin, 1998), and a new scale, Static-99, created by combining the items from the RRASOR and SACJ-Min. Predictive accuracy was tested using four diverse datasets drawn from Canada and the United Kingdom (total n = 1301). The RRASOR and the SACJ-Min showed roughly equivalent predictive accuracy, and the combin…
The instructional design portfolio: Using an internet-controlled robot to facilitate learning
Assessing Risk for Sexual Recidivism: Some Proposals on the Nature of Psychologically Meaningful Risk Factors
Risk assessment and treatment for sexual offenders should focus on individual characteristics associated with recidivism risk. Although it is possible to conduct risk assessments based purely on empirical correlates, the most useful evaluations also explain the source of the risk. In this review, the authors propose that the basic requirements for a psychologically meaningful risk factor are (a) a plausible rationale that the factor is a cause of…
Evidence Regarding the Need for a Diagnostic Category for a Coercive Paraphilia
Inpatients' expectations and experiences of hospital pharmacy services: Qualitative study
INTRODUCTION: Hospital pharmacists' have traditionally focused on the manufacture and supply of medicines. However, the increasing complexity and range of medicines and a greater awareness of medication errors has facilitated a change towards a patient-centred role. Given this movement, it is surprising that a search of the published literature shows very little research that evaluated patients' views of hospital-based pharmacy services. OBJECTIV…
Assessing risk of sex offenders with major mental illness: Integrating research into best practices
Purpose Sex Offenders with a Major Mental Illness (SOMMI) are doubly stigmatized, as these individuals are members of two highly marginalized social groups (Guidry and Saleh, 2004). Within each of these groups SOMMI only represent a small minority. For professionals seeking to base their practice in empirical research this has led to a significant problem since the literature related specifically to this group is both limited and hard to locate. …
Release from the Sex Offender Label
Reductions in risk based on time offense-free in the community: Once a sexual offender, not always a sexual offender
Validating the Utility of the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire With Men Who Have Sexually Offended Against Children
The Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire (WSFQ) assesses the use of 40 specific sexual fantasies, which are grouped into four overarching themes (Intimate, Exploratory, Impersonal, and Sadomasochistic). It also includes two items that reflect characteristics associated with children. Since sexual fantasies are a key factor in sex offender treatment, the present study tested the validity of the WSFQ for use with men who have sexually offended against …
Are Protective Factors Valid Constructs? Interrater Reliability And Construct Validity Of Proposed Protective Factors Against Sexual Reoffending
Most sexual recidivism risk assessment tools focus primarily on risk factors and deficits without consideration for strengths or protective factors which might mitigate reoffense risk. The current study is the first in a research program designed to develop and validate the Structured Assessment of PROtective Factors for violence risk—Sexual Offence version (SAPROF-SO), a measure of protective factors against sexual reoffending. The study aimed t…
Does Reassessment Improve Prediction? A Prospective Study of the Sexual Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (Sotips)
This prospective study examined the predictive validity of the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS; McGrath et al., 2012), a sexual recidivism risk/need tool designed to identify dynamic (changeable) risk factors relevant to supervision and treatment. The SOTIPS risk tool was scored by probation officers at two sites ( n = 565) for three time points: near the start of community supervision, at 6 months, and then at 12 m…
Incremental Contributions of Static and Dynamic Sexual Violence Risk Assessment: Integrating Static-99R and VRS-SO Common Language Risk Levels
We examined the incremental contributions of static and dynamic sexual violence risk assessment in a multisite sample of 1,289 men treated for sexual offending. The study extends validation work that established new risk categories and recidivism estimates for the Violence Risk Scale–Sexual Offense version (VRS-SO), using the risk assessment common language (CL) framework. Different rates of sexual recidivism were observed at different thresholds…
Are Civilly Detained and Committed Sexually Violent Persons Released After Age 60 Low Risk
Older age is a well-established protective factor against sexual recidivism. However, research on the effects of aging in individuals considered for civil commitment as sexually violent persons (SVPs) is limited. The current study investigated 53 such individuals released after age 60: 15 were released following dismissal of the civil commitment petition, and 38 were discharged following civil commitment. Recidivism outcomes, including details of…
Neural Correlates of Moral Judgment in Criminal Offenders with Sadistic Traits
Why are individuals over age 60 still committed as sexually violent persons
Civilly committed sexually violent persons (SVPs) are a select group of individuals designated as high risk for future sexual violence. Despite risk reduction in older age, SVP programs are seeing aging client populations, with many individuals remaining committed after age 60 (60+). Recent research found a sexual recidivism rate of 7.5% for 60+ individuals released from an SVP civil commitment program. The current paper follows up by examining r…
Recidivism and violations among sexually violent persons on supervised release
Risk-tinted spectacles: What influences evaluator decision making in sexually violent persons examinations
The more, the merrier: Irish (and Scottish) bishops in fourteenth-century collective indulgences from Avignon
This paper examines the occurrence of bishops of Irish dioceses among the grantors of so-called ‘collective indulgences’ at Avignon between 1322 and 1363 and attempts to demonstrate how these indulgences can facilitate our knowledge of the episcopate in Ireland during the fourteenth century. Over 140 references to Irish bishops have been collected and are discussed, along with twenty occurrences of bishops from Scotland for the same period, plus …
How to Combine the Static-99R With the Saprof-SO
The SAPROF-SO was developed as a measure of protective factors relevant to sexual recidivism to support a balanced, holistic assessment of recidivism risk. Traditionally, sexual recidivism risk has been largely understood in terms of the density of risk factors presented by the individual, as measured by instruments like the Static-99R. This paper investigated how far the recidivism risk implied by a Static-99R score would be moderated by the pre…
Psychology (16 works) · Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending (13 works) · Clinical Psychology (11 works) · Medicine (10 works) · Recidivism (10 works) · Poison control (9 works) · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis (8 works) · Human Factors and Ergonomics (7 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Sex offense (6 works)