The protective scale of the Armidilo-S: The importance of forensic and clinical outcomes

The Armidilo has two scales-the risk scale and the protective scale. Research has been confined to the risk scale which appears to predict future incidents with medium to large effect sizes. There have been no publications on the use of the protective scale.

The Armidilo was completed on four individuals with IDD who were either moving on from their placement or whose placement was in jeopardy because of new information or altered policies in the organization. The Armidilo was completed in the usual fashion.

Risk and protective results show that for each individual, recommendations could be made that ensured the best outcome. For two participants, restrictive placements were avoided because of the data on protective factors.

The protective scale can be a powerful support for the clinician's case in offenders with IDD. The protective scale should be completed routinely for clinical evaluation.