Assessing risk for violence among male and female civil psychiatric patients: the HCR‐20, PCL:SV, and VSC

This study evaluated the predictive validity of violence risk assessments conducted using the HCR‐20, the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV), and by the Violence Screening Checklist (VSC) in a sample of 268 involuntarily hospitalized male and female psychiatric patients. Information pertaining to violence and crime was coded from medical charts and correctional records. The HCR‐20/PCL:SV evidenced modest non‐significant associations in postdictive assessments of inpatient violence among men. Moderate to strong significant associations were found between the HCR‐20/PCL:SV and inpatient violence among women. Pseudo‐prospective assessments using the HCR‐20 and PCL:SV resulted in moderate to large relationships with violence and crime in men and women following community discharge. It is concluded that the VSC is a promising tool for assessing acute inpatient violence risk with men. Findings offer preliminary validation of the predictive validity of the HCR‐20 and PCL:SV with female civil psychiatric patients. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.