J. Stephen Wormith (December 16, 1946 – March 28, 2019) was a Canadian professional football player, psychologist, and academic. He is known for two distinct careers: as a Grey Cup-winning member of the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and as a professor of forensic psychology at the University of Saskatchewan.
Early Life and Education
Wormith was born in Sarnia, Ontario. He attended Northern Collegiate Institute and Vocational School, where he excelled in football, hockey, and track and field. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in 1969, where he played for the Brown Bears football team as a running back. He later earned a Master of Arts from Carleton University (1972) and a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Ottawa (1977).
Football Career
Wormith was signed by the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1969 but was released during training camp. He then played for Carleton University while pursuing his master's degree. In 1970, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes but suffered a knee injury during training camp and was placed on the injury reserve list for the entire season. Despite never playing a single regular season or playoff down in the CFL, he was officially part of the Alouettes roster when they won the 58th Grey Cup in 1970, and his name is engraved on the trophy. He attempted a return with the Alouettes in 1971 but was cut during training camp.
Academic and Professional Career in Psychology
After completing his PhD, Wormith served as chief of psychology and research at Saskatoon's Regional Psychiatric Centre (1978–1982). He later held roles including Deputy Superintendent (Treatment) at Rideau Correctional and Treatment Centre and Psychologist-in-Chief for the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. From 1989 to 1999, he was psychologist-in-chief at the Ottawa Parole Office for the Correctional Service of Canada.
In 1999, he joined the University of Saskatchewan as a full professor and the inaugural Chair of Forensic Psychology. In 2011, he became the founding director of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies, a position he held until his death.
Research Contributions
Wormith was a leading figure in forensic and correctional psychology. He co-developed later versions of the Level of Service Inventory (LSI) family of risk assessment tools, including the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R, 1995) and the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI, 2004). These instruments, grounded in the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model, are used internationally for offender risk assessment and recidivism prediction. He authored over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Awards and Recognition
- Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association (2003)
- Robert W. Goldberg Leadership in Education Award from the American Psychological Association (2015)
- The Canadian Psychological Association's Section on Criminal Justice Psychology established the J. Stephen Wormith Graduate Research Award in his honor
Death
Wormith died of cancer on March 28, 2019, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at the age of 72.
