Predicting Violent Behavior: An Assessment of Clinical Techniques

'...essential reading for those confronted with the ethical and professional dilemmas involved in predicting violent behavior. Lawyers are destined to become familiar with Monahans book, and mental health professionals will surely want to keep a step ahead. -- Contemporary Psychology, Vol 27 No 2 '...In summary, Monahans book is a very readable and succinct one. Often the reader finds himself saying "...well of course, what could be more obvious?" only to reflect for a minute and realize that many clinicians do not give many obvious relevant factors adequate weight in their assessments of dangerousness. Monahans text is a very positive one which as he puts it, outlines for the clinician: "How to do it (predict violent behavior) and when to do it". Violent behavior must be viewed as the product of a dynamic interaction between an individual and situational/environmental variables. -- Canadian Journal of Criminology, Vol 24 No 3, July 1982 'Monahans is an important and well-documented book that deserves to be read by all concerned with the practice and politics of predicting violent behavior. -- Contemporary Sociology, Vol 12 No 2, March 1983 'Monahan has taken a positive approach to a difficult area. He has delineated what can be done, and how, rather than wringing his hands about the problem. -- Journal of Security Administration, Vol.9,No. 2, December 1986@Q