The relationship between violence and mental illness is a challenging issue that clinicians face. The association between the two is commonly linked together in popular media and society, resulting in an exaggerated and misunderstood perception of mental illness. Clinicians are often placed in a difficult position of being asked to assess the risk that a patient could pose to the public, while also being asked by society/law to keep an individual's personal liberties in mind (e.g. - involuntary admissions).
Static (Unmodifiable) Risk Factors | Dynamic (Modifiable) Risk Factors |
---|---|
• Previous violence history • Substance use history • Age (young teens) • Male gender • Intelligence • Young age of violence • Low socioeconomic background • Psychopathy | • Current substance abuse, intoxication • Recent triggers for agitation or assaultive behaviours • Presence of supports • Access to weapons (firearms) • Stress • Negative attitudes • Insight • Impulsivity • Access to victims • Comorbid mental health conditions (treated or untreated), such as active psychotic symptoms |
Name | Rater | Description | Download |
---|---|---|---|
Historical Clinical Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) | Clinician | 20-item, clinician-rated scale, most commonly used as a violence risk assessment instrument. | Download HCR-20 (1 page), (2 page) |
Classification of Violence Risk (COVR) | Clinician/Patient | An interactive software program that estimates the risk that a psychiatric inpatient will be violent to others. The software leads the clinician through a chart review and a brief interview with the patient. | Not available |