NCJ Number
26599
Date Published
Unknown
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE INFREQUENCY OF ASSAULTS AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF STIMULI THAT PROVOKE ASSAULTS MAKE EVALUATION OF THERAPY PROGRAMS AIMED AT ASSAULTIVE BEHAVIOR DIFFICULT.
Abstract
THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS PER MONTH EXHIBITED BY FOUR MALE PATIENTS IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTION IN ONTARIO, CANADA WAS RECORDED FOR AN AVERAGE OF 28 MONTHS. THE AVERAGE ASSAULT FREQUENCY WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE ASSAULT PER MONTH AND THE INTER-ASSAULT INTERVAL VARIED WIDELY. BECAUSE OF THE VARIABILITY IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO KNOW WNEH ASSAULT FREQUENCY HAD BEEN LOWERED BY SOME THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT. A SYSTEM OF RECORDING ASSAULTIVE DATA IN THE FORM OF THE PROBABILITY OF AN ASSAULT GIVEN A PARTICULAR SITUATION WAS RECOMMENDED. SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD REST ON AN ACCURATE AND DETAILED SPECIFICATION OF THE STIMULI WHICH OCCASION ASSAULTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)