THE CLINICIAN'S ROLE IN THE EMERGENCY TREATMENT OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS IS REVIEWED. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL HISTORY IN THE TREATMENT OF SUCH OFFENDERS IS EMPHASIZED, AND GUIDELINES FOR OBTAINING A THERAPEUTICALLY USEFUL HISTORY ARE OFFERED. FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE TREATMENT PROCESS--PATIENTS' COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS, FEELINGS OF DISTRUST, IMPAIRED ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIONS, DIFFICULTIES IN FOCUSING ANGER--ARE DISCUSSED. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE ISSUE OF CONTROL AS CENTRAL TO THE TREATMENT OF VIOLENT PATIENTS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT CLINICIANS CAN EASILY RECOGNIZE VIOLENT ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS BUT OFTEN FAIL TO PERCEIVE THAT VIOLENT PATIENTS ARE THEMSELVES DISTURBED BY THEIR LOSS OF CONTROL AND MAY BE EXHAUSTED BY THE CONSTANT STATE OF HYPERVIGILANCE THEY MUST MAINTAIN TO STAY IN CONTROL. AMONG THE TREATMENT MODALITIES DISCUSSED ARE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY, MEDICATION, AND SURGICAL PROCEDURES. CLINICIANS ARE REMINDED THAT EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF VIOLENCE MEANS NEITHER MAKING PATIENTS INERT OR IMPASSIVE WITH MEDICATION, NOR SNUFFING OUT ALL AGGRESSION. THE GOAL OF THERAPY WITH AGGRESSIVE PATIENTS IS TO HELP THEM CONTROL THEIR OWN AGGRESSION IN A MANNER THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO BE PERSONALLY AND SOCIALLY USEFUL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. (LKM)