Assignment 1: Violence Risk Assessment

Violence risk assessment is an important clinical duty in all settings. In the correctional setting, it is imperative that these assessments are routinely administered and monitored. In your role as a forensic mental health professional, one of your vital duties will be to ensure that potentially violent offenders are adequately assessed and that interventions are successfully administered.

Tasks:

Using at least three scholarly resources from the professional literature, research violence risk assessment. The literature may include the Argosy University online library resources; relevant textbooks; peer-reviewed journal articles; and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, or .gov).

On the basis of your research, in a minimum of 300 words, respond to the following:

• Research shows that specific factors are associated with increased risk for violence. Explain which factors associated with violence risk may be encountered with incarcerated offenders.
• Identify and explain two to four examples of each of the following:
  • General needs that any released offender might have as he or she transitions back to society
  • Specialized needs that certain offenders might have, particularly if they have mental health issues

Apply APA standards to cite sources.

Submission Details:

• By the due date assigned, post your responses to this Discussion Area.
• Through the end of the module, respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. While responding, comment on the violence risk factors and the various needs identified by your classmates:
  • Did they identify any factors that you had not considered?
  • Did you identify any factors that support their findings?
  • Did their research findings match yours?