Violence and sexual violence continue to be major criminal, public health and social policy problems in the United States. Those who have responsibility for assessing the violence risk of others are in a difficult position: Can the risk of future violence be predicted? What assessment tools should be used? What is the difference between actuarial instruments, structured professional judgment instruments and threat assessment? What are the relative contributions of drugs, psychopathy and psychosis to violence risk? What are the differences between affective (reactive) violence and predatory (instrumental) violence? Does targeted violence, especially toward public figures, need a different approach? Are there any psychological tests that are useful in assessing certain aspects of violence risk, such as impulsivity or affect dysregulation?

In the first major reconfiguration of his highly successful violence risk workshops over the past two decades, Dr. Meloy will present a comprehensive, state of the science, two day training program on violence risk and threat assessment. He will review the new assessment instruments and expand his teaching concerning psychopathy, one of the most important violence risk predictors. Stalking and its relationship to violence and the latest research on direct threats, leakage and warning behaviors will be thoroughly examined. The workshop will conclude with the most effective means of communicating risk to others.

Workshop Content - Day 1

Affective (reactive) and Predatory (instrumental) modes of violence

The Ipsi Dixit approach – an approach whose time has gone

The Actuarial approach – the VRAG, COVR

The Structured Professional Judgment approach – the HCR-20, WAVR-21

Other Psychological Instruments – PCL-R, PCL-SV, PCL-YV, PSCAN, LSI-R

Threat Assessment and Targeted Violence – Real time threat management

Case Illustrations

Psychopathy

            History and measurement

            Factor I – Interpersonal and Affective deficiency

Workshop Content - Day 2

Psychopathy (cont.)

            Factor II – Social Deviancy

Validity research: Treatment, recidivism and violence risk

Neurobiological Advancements

            Predatory acuity and the paradox of sensitivity to others’ distress

Treatment and Risk Management

DSM-IV-TR, DSM-V, and TPD (4^th edition)

Stalking: The State of the Science

            Prior sexual intimate stalking and violence

            Public figure stalking, threats and attacks

Communicating Risk – Legal and Ethical Parameters

Report Writing (The Meloy Method)

Workshop Objectives

Select and utilize different violence risk and threat assessment approaches

Describe the differences between affective and predatory violence

Understand the instruments which measure psychopathy

Identify childhood and adolescent factors related to violence and psychopathy

Describe the dynamics and risk management implications concerning stalking

Assess direct threats, leakage and warning behaviors

Communicate risk findings to other professionals in a scientific, legal and ethical manner

Presented by

Dr. Reid Meloy is a diplomate in forensic psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology, and consults on criminal and civil cases throughout the U.S. and Europe. He is a clinical professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego, School of Medicine; an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law; and a faculty member of the San Diego Psychoanalytic Institute. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and is past president of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. He has received numerous awards from various professional organizations and is president of Forensis, Inc., a non profit, public benefit corporation devoted to forensic psychiatric and psychological research (www.forensis.org). Dr. Meloy has authored or co-authored over one hundred ninety papers published in peer-reviewed psychiatric and psychological journals, and has authored, co-authored or edited ten books. His first book, The Psychopathic Mind (Aronson, 1988), was an integration of the biological and psychodynamic understanding of psychopathy, His most recent edited book, Stalking, Threatening and Attacking Public Figures (Oxford University Press, 2008) has received wide acclaim, and led to a commissioned study for the National Academy of Sciences on threats toward public figures. Dr. Stephen White and he created the WAVR-21 (Specialized Training Services, 2008), the first scientifically based structured professional judgment instrument for workplace violence assessment. Dr. Meloy is also a consultant to the counterintelligence division of the FBI and regularly teaches at the Behavioral Analysis Units in Quantico. He is a member of the Fixated Research Group for the United Kingdom’s Home Office concerning threats to the Royal Family and British political figures, and also teaches for the Netherlands National Police. He has been a technical consultant to the television program CSI since its inception in 2001.