The assessment of dangerous behaviour: Research and clinical issues

Mental health professionals in forensic settings are increasingly called up on to assess the probability of dangerous behaviour, or level of risk, that certain individuals pose to the community. These assessments may inform de cisions concerning the containment and management of violent offenders with in forensic settings, sentencing options, and whether or not to grant bail or parole. In this paper we provide an overview of the key issues associate d with the assessment of dangerous behaviour. Specifically, we briefly cons ider the debate on clinical versus actuarial assessments of dangerous behav iour and risk, and provide a synopsis of the current research on dangerous behaviour, focusing on the key areas of mental disorder, psychopathy, and s ubstance use. Finally we outline guidelines for addressing specific content areas in the clinical risk-assessment process and discuss areas for future research.