The prosecution of assaultive clients: treatment considerations

While some claim that the risk of serious injury to mental health staff members from client assault is minor, others suggest that assaultive episodes have been underreported. With rising pressure from the legal system to hospitalize the more dangerous clients, the increased potential for staff injury necessitates interventions to prevent and deal with client violence. Legal prosecution of violent clients is one nontraditional, and possibly overlooked, intervention. The author reviews the strengths and weaknesses of this approach, as well as implications for clinical practice and empirical research.