This Handbook is aimed at any professional whose work involves predicting the behaviour of others, for example probation, social work, residential care and health and nursing staff.

Risk assessment can usually be carried out by frontline staff dealing with the client in question, rather than by referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist, particularly if there is no history of mental illness. Such staff usually have the experience to make a valid assessment, but may lack understanding of the decision-making process. This book will help them apply their existing knowledge to make competent assessments.

The book will also be useful to community mental health staff and others who usually deal with the process of change, rather than the criteria involved in "yes/no answer" decision-making.

The book is packed with useful insights and information about an important area of work ... Bryony Moore is clearly well qualified to write on this topic. (BJPsych)

Also printed in N America and available there at 24-48 hours notice through bookstores. North American price is US$70.00.

• Basic Principles of Risk Assessment
• Bias in Decision-Making
•  Individual Risk and External Factors (Applied Risk)
• Definition of Target Behaviour
• Probability v. Cost of Recurrence
• Motivation to Repeat Behaviour
• Controls and Disinhibitors
• Insights into Past Offending
• Attitudes of Significant Others
• Subcultural Pressures
• Emotional and Social Environment
• Stress
• Specific Triggers.