Risk Factors of Violence During a 4-Week Period in a Psychiatric Outpatient Population

Abstract

The clinical impact of structured risk assessment instruments has been limited by a lack of information regarding a) their short-term accuracy and b) the relationship between change as measured by the instrument and a change in the risk for harm. Data were collected every 4 weeks on a) variables designed to resemble the items of a structured risk assessment instrument, b) substance use, c) social circumstances and mental state, and d) violent behavior. Scores on the variables designed to resemble the items of a risk assessment instrument were associated with violence during the ensuing 4 weeks. However, an increase in a subject's score on these variables was not associated with violence. Instead, increasing cocaine use and increasing social conflict as described by the subject at interview were associated with violence during those weeks.

Associations between substance use and type of crime in prisoners with substance use problems – a focus on violence and fatal violence

“… 7 For cocaine, Buchanan et al identified an increase in violence in psychiatric outpatients related to cocaine specifically. 39 An association in the same direction was not seen here, although the cocaine-using group is more limited in the Swedish setting than in many other countries. 18 …”

Substance Use Disorders and Their Correlates Among Inmates in a Sri Lankan Prison

“…When those who were serving a sentence for murder or attempted murder were considered a majority (82.7%) met criteria for dependence/ harmful use of any substance. Other studies have shown that both alcohol 15 and cocaine 16 are associated with violent crime.…”

“…When those who were serving a sentence for murder or attempted murder were considered a majority (82.7%) met criteria for dependence/ harmful use of any substance. Other studies have shown that both alcohol 15 and cocaine 16 are associated with violent crime. Among those who were found to have a lifetime substance use disorder, the majority had been introduced to substance use by friends, by spouse or partner.…”

Can a Dynamic Risk Instrument Make Short-Term Predictions in "Real Time"? Developing a Framework for Testing Proximal Assessment of Offender Recidivism Risk During Re-entry

“…Lagged prediction models. To test this, three studies used lagged prediction models, which determine if variables measured proximally to violent behavior are more strongly related to outcome, compared to measures from all other assessment periods (Buchanan, Nich, Douglas, Babuscio, & Easton, 2013;Skeem et al, 2006;Yang, Mulvey, Loughran, & Hanusa, 2012). These authors conducted multi--wave assessments of individuals meeting the criteria for psychiatric diagnoses, and identified hostility, alcohol use, and lack of support as proximal indicators of violence.…”