Violence risk assessment tools: A systematic review of surveys

A systematic search was conducted to identify surveys of violence risk assessment tool use published between january 1, 2000, and january 1, 2013. Characteristics of survey administration and findings were extracted, and a checklist of 26 reporting quality markers in survey research was used for coding. Nine surveys were identified, fulfilling approximately half the quality markers. No surveys investigated differences in assessment practices across professional disciplines or continents, and none examined the use or perceived usefulness of structured instruments in risk management or risk monitoring. There continues to be a need for transparent, high-quality clinical surveys on the use and perceived utility of violence risk assessment tools in forensic mental health. Given the growing cross-jurisdictional use of risk assessment tools, comparisons of international practice are particularly important.