Assessing Dangerousness

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Abstract
Practitioners in the helping professions (e.g., nursing, social work, psychology) often serve perpetrators and survivors of interpersonal violence, and many are asked to make predictions about the likelihood of future violence. Knowledge about risk and risk factors is increasingly expected in courts, clinics, conference rooms, shelters, hospital emergency rooms, child protective service offices, schools, research settings, batterer intervention programs, parenting programs, domestic violence advocacy programs, and child abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention programs. This book reviews what is generally known about the prediction of violent behavior and then discusses implications for the prediction of interpersonal violence. It addresses the specific variables involved in the prediction of child abuse and neglect, child fatalities (including those that occur within the context of IPV), IPV, and femicide. This book represents the most current research, trends, and professional viewpoints regarding the prediction of interpersonal violence. It discusses in greater depth challenges with assessment measures and factors used to predict future violence. It is clear, however, that assessments of risk for future violence are improved when appropriately administered, psychometrically sound risk assessment scales are used. Furthermore, practitioners need to couple these objective measures with information collected on the characteristics of the perpetrator, the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim, the victim’s assessment of risk, the practitioner’s experience and judgment, and context-specific factors (e.g., poverty, unemployment, discrimination, social support).

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