Risk factors for violence among forensic psychiatric inpatients

Abstract

Forensic evaluation differs from clinical evaluation in several aspects, most importantly that it has legal goals to serve other parties not the health care needs of the individual. However, violence prediction is a difficult task always expected from a psychiatrist whether during forensic or as usual clinical evaluation. Assessing danger and prediction of future violence aim at prevention of such behaviour. Risk factors for violence in people with mental disorder might be different from other groups. Established risk factors for violence in people with psychosis are criminal history, comorbid substance misuse, active psychotic symptoms, non compliance with medication and comorbid personality disorder, particularly antisocial personality disorder.