MEASURING PATIENT VIOLENCE IN DANGEROUSNESS RESEARCH

Research on the dangerousness of mental patients has paid only limited attention to the issues surrounding the measurement of violent events . This article reviews the possible methods for measuring patient viol ence and comments on the benefits and drawbacks associated with differ ent strategies. It is argued that there are usable approaches beyond o fficial records and that development of these alternatives is a necess ary step for advancing theory in this area.