RISK ASSESSMENT IN FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH
Risk assessment is the process of understanding a hazard such that its potential negative impact can be limited. In forensic services, violence risk assessment and management are critical elements of the delivery of services by professionals from various disciplines including psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social work, and occupational therapy (Hart, 2001; Doyle & Dolan, 2002). These professionals hold an ethical and legal responsibility to prevent or limit future violence by their clients. This serves to ensure not only the safety of the public from violent acts, but also that of healthcare professionals who may be involved in the care of potentially violent individuals, and the clients from self-harmful consequences of violence (Hart & Logan, 2011).
Violence risk assessment can be defined as the process of evaluating individuals to (i) characterise the likelihood that they will commit acts of violence and (ii) develop interventions to manage or reduce that likelihood (Hart, 1998). This definition makes it clear that the process of risk assessment is not only concerned with the measurement of the likelihood of risk, but is also directly linked to risk reduction strategies. Importantly, risk assessment is defined as a ‘process’, which is further clarified by the English Care Program Approach (CPA; Department of Health, 1990), which states: “Risk assessment is not a one-off event, but an on-going process of assessment, review, and reassessment.” Violence risk assessment therefore can be seen as more than just the prediction of future violence, but also involving the development of strategies to reduce or manage that risk.
ACTUARIAL VS. CLINICAL JUDGEMENT IN CLINICAL RISK ASSESSMENT
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...2011). Risk assessment has evolved and research has shown that Structured Professional Judgement emerges as the most promising way forward in risk assessment, as it includes both static and dynamic risk factors, and combines statistical accuracy with clinical experience.
In the case of stalking, which is relatively new in the research arena and thus has a limited evidence base to inform practice, SPJ appears to be the most appropriate as only a detailed and flexible risk assessment process that takes into account the different forms of potential damage can provide a basis for management that reduces the potential harm to the victim and the stalker both (Mullen et al, 2006). Further research into stalking risk factors and comprehensive assessment tools will aid the development of more accurate and detailed procedures specific to the assessment of risk in stalking.
Stewart, B., Boyd, M., & Nunnally, D. (2002). STALKING THE STALKER. People, 58(10), 74. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from EBSCOhost
Logan, T., & Walker, R. (2010). Toward a deeper understanding of the harms caused by partner stalking. Violence and Victims, 25(4), 440-453. doi: 10.1891/0886-6708.25.4.440
“Stalking is conservatively defined as "a course of conduct directed at a specific person that involves repeated (two or more occasions) visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal, written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof, that would cause a reasonable person fear." [1] Stalking behaviors also may include persistent patterns of leaving or sending the victim unwanted items or presents that may range from seemingly romantic to bizarre, following or laying in wait for the victim, damaging or threatening to damage the victim's property, defaming the victim's character, or harassing the victim via the Internet by posting personal information o...
Most people assume that most stalking victims are women, but law officials have found that the number of male and female victims are roughly equal (Brownstein). It has been proven that, “The nature of the relationship between targets and stalkers seems to be different for women and men.” Statistically, females usually know their stalker, while male victims usually have no personal relationship with their stalker (Accomando and Anderson). Most of the time, men will not report that they are being stalked unless they feel it is life threatening because some do not see women as a threat (Wigman). Victims are not powerless, but they are in a rough and dangerous position
The actuarial approach is now been favoured to use for risk assessment.There is a push now towards evidenced-based practice as a more reliable means of risk assessment which has led to the development of risk assessment tools (Turner and Tummy 2008).Evidence-based practice is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients (Antonio Borghesi and Barbara Gaudenzi 2012). Risk assessment tools are a great way in which you can produce a document which a based on statistical probability. They aim to produce or estimate a risk from collected data and they attempt to predict a person risk based on that person's future behaviours when tasks in different situations (Kirby 2004).
Stalker or stalking has been further classified based on typology established by Paul Mullen, Teresa Flower and Rosemary Purcell. It is based on the context in which stalking arose and stalkers initial impetus for containing the victim. There are five types of a stalker: the rejected, resentful, intimacy-seeking, incompetent and the predator . The two precarious of all are rejected and predator stalkers.
The relationship between social harm and criminology has been discussed all around the world within different approaches. Some criminologists such as Hillyard and Tombs, believe to be a better alternative to the concept of crime, due to the fact that involves a lack of more harmful issues that go unpunished in our society, others disagree saying that, actions can only be penalized within communities if they are seen as a crime. However, crime is looked at differently within societies, social groups, and nation states, as a result of distinct cultures and beliefs.
The topic I find such fascinating is Forensic Science and how forensic science has significantly changed over the years. “The area of forensic science has grown considerably over the last 150 years and more so since the mid 1980’s.” (Lyman, 2016) Forensic science has gone from taking basic information, and fingerprints to DNA and blood splatter. During a crime scene investigation evidence is collected, analyzed in a crime laboratory and then if needed are presented to the court. However, today the crime laboratory is becoming mobile and can go to the scene to analyze the evidence. Each crime scene and investigation is unique and distinctive, with the help of forensics it can help solve a case.
McGrath, Michael G. "Criminal Profiling: Is There a Role for the Forensic Psychiatrist?." Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 28. (2000): 315-324. Web. 13 Apr 2011.
Maguire, M., Morgan, R., and Reiner, R. (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th ed. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Silver, Eric. 2006. “Understanding the Relationship between Mental Disorder and Violence: The Need for a Criminological Perspective.” Law and Human Behavior 30(6):685-706.
Lubaszka, C. K., & Shon, P. C. (2013). Reconceptualizing the notion of victim selection, risk, and offender behavior in healthcare serial murders. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 3(1), 65-78. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/20093821311307776
Intimate partner stalkers are typically known as the guy who "just can’t let go." These are most often men who refuse to believe that a relationship has really ended. Often, other people - even the victims - feel sorry for them. But they shouldn’t. Studies show that the vast majority of these stalkers are not sympathetic, lonely people who are still hopelessly in love, but were in fact emotionally abusive and controlling during the relationship. Many have criminal histories unrelated to stalking. Well over half of stalkers fall into this "former intimate partner" category.
Forensic evidence can provide just outcomes in criminal matters. However, it is not yet an exact science as it can be flawed. It can be misrepresented through the reliability of the evidence, through nonstandard guidelines, and through public perception. Forensic science can be dangerously faulty without focus on the ‘science’ aspect. It can at times be just matching patterns based on an individual’s interpretations. This can lead to a miscarriage of justice and forever alter a person’s life due to a perceived “grey area” (Merritt C, 2010) resulting in a loss of confidence in the reliability of forensic evidence.
Morgan, R., Maguire, M. And Reiner, R. (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.