Violence Assessment and Intervention: The Practitioner's Handbook PDF

Preface

Welcome to our Second Edition. We are writing this book for you, the practitioner, who is confronted on a regular basis with calls from frightened people who want you to keep them safe. It doesn't matter if you are a mental health practitioner, security professional, human resources professional, attorney, police offi cer, probation or parole offi cer, or risk evaluator in the mental health fi eld. When you receive that call you realize you do not have the luxury of having perfect information, but you may still need to act now. Th is book is for you. Th e two of us have handled such phone calls for a total of more than 50 years in a variety of contexts. Th is includes experience in federal law enforcement, municipal law enforcement and as consultants to federal agencies, state agencies and private and public corporations. We continue to handle them on a daily basis as part of our practice. Even though this book is written with the primary focus being anchored in North American laws and nuances, both of us have worked and continue to work internationally. From this experience, we have learned that core assessment and resolution principles, being behaviorally based, are universal, regardless of culture or geography. We have structured the book into three main sections for the purpose of addressing diff erent approaches to the material and to provide us an opportunity to show diff erent aspects of the entire process. Th e fi rst section, "Introduction," and Chapter 1, "Fusion," will show the process and fl ow of our violence assessment model from the perspective of the initial call or "notice event," and the essential steps to initially quantify the situation as well as make the fi rst decisions concerning proper and immediate response. We will illustrate in this section it is in managing this "notice event" and understanding its place in the continuum of the behavior (what has come before and what may come aft er) that success or failure of the resolution may be found. You may fi nd this section refl ects the most similarity with what you do every day and will serve as an overview for the entire guide.

Section II, "Assessment," has been structured to provide information concerning the essential informational components and processes required to provide a thorough and accurate assessment. Th e chapters in this section cover information gathering, victimology, formulas for assessment, and tools for violence risk assessment. In the appendices of these chapters are practical tools developed by the authors and others for use in guiding the assessment process, speeding information gathering, and providing actuarial frameworks for information analysis. We have not attempted in this section to provide a detailed log of every available instrument or other tool that we may have used or understand may prove to be valuable to you as our intent is not to make judgments. We simply want to provide you with practical information we personally know to be useful and eff ective based on our day-to-day work.

In Section III, "Management," we cover organizational infl uences, ethics, security issues, consultation issues and the laws related to violence assessment. We have also added a chapter on violence risk assessment in a postsecondary educational environment, as both of us have been drawn in to do more of that work, both before and aft er the Virginia Tech shooting. In this section we want to cover not only the obvious issues, but provide a perspective that may allow you to go beyond your current perception of these elements and acquire new appreciation and understanding of how these areas can provide better case outcomes.

For the mental health professionals, lawyers and other professionals reading this guide, we have attempted to provide references to the literature, when applicable. However, we do not intend this guide to be a detailed academic work that attempts to refl ect the breadth of literature available for assessing potential violent behavior. We want this book to provide practical, proven ideas and tools for case evaluation and management. If you come away with at least one new idea, tool or practical solution to an assessment or intervention problem, we have accomplished our goal in writing this handbook.

We would also hope that reading and using this book would motivate you to share your knowledge with others, whenever and however you can. Only in the sharing of practical, eff ective methods of violence assessment and intervention can we continue to increase the safety of the people each of us is responsible for protecting.

We hope that you enjoy this guide and continue to be interested in improving the safety of the communities you serve.