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EVALUATION OF DANGEROUSNESS - PROBLEMS FOR PSYCHIATRY (FROM DANGEROUS OFFENDER - PREDICTION AND ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS OF A SEMINAR, 1977 - SEE NCJ-49606)

NCJ Number
49609
Author(s)
W E LUCAS
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE LIMITATIONS IN DEFINING AND PREDICTING DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR, A CLINICAL APPROACH TO WHAT IS CONSIDERED AN INESCAPABLE TASK IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE UNSCIENTIFIC CHARACTER OF ASSESSING AND PREDICTING DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR IS NOTED, BUT THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED CAUSE TO ABANDON A CLINICAL APPROACH TO AN AREA OF CONSIDERATION THAT IS BELIEVED WILL CONTINUE AS A FOCAL POINT FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISIONS. EIGHT AREAS FOR EXAMINATION, PROPOSED BY PSYCHIATRIST J.M. MCDONALD, ARE LISTED AS IMPORTANT WHEN DELVING INTO AN INDIVIDUAL'S POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR. THEY ARE: DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR IN THE PAST; AGE, SEX, AND RACE (CULTURAL FACTORS); PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS; DYNAMIC DIAGNOSIS; RECENT STRESS; VICTIM BEHAVIOR; RESOURCES; AND PROSPECTS FOR TREATMENT. OTHER MORE SPECIFIC AREAS FOR INVESTIGATION MENTIONED BY THE AUTHOR ARE: ABUSE OF ALCOHOL; OWNERSHIP AND USE OF WEAPONS; AGGRESSIVE FANTASY LIFE AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH IT MAY HAVE BEEN ACTED OUT; PATTERNS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AND THE CLIENT'S ATTITUDE TOWARD IT. IT IS INDICATED THAT GREAT CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO OBTAIN AS MUCH INDEPENDENT INFORMATION ON THE INDIVIDUAL AS POSSIBLE BY WAY OF DOCUMENTATION, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MEMBERS OF APPROPRIATE AGENCIES, AND INTERVIEWS WITH RELATIVES. SOME BROAD GROUPINGS OF PATIENTS WITH PARTICULAR HISTORIES ARE GIVEN WHERE SIGNIFICANT RISKS ARE INVOLVED. FRANK CONVERSATION WITH THE CLIENT ABOUT HIS OR HER PAST BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDE TOWARD IT ARE CONSIDERED PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT. EXPOSING THE OFFENDER TO A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES IN AN INSTITUTION OR IN A CLOSELY SUPERVISED COMMUNITY CONTEXT IS SUGGESTED AS A WAY OF OBSERVING BEHAVIOR IN A PARTICULAR SETTING TO DETERMINE THE RISK LEVEL OF RELEASING HIM TO BE ON HIS OWN. (RCB)

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