ABSTRACT
In this chapter we begin by outlining what areas of behaviour we are mostly concerned with in relation to violent offending, when considering our work as practitioners within the criminal and civil justice systems. We focus on violent crimes, outlining who commits such crimes and under what circumstances such crimes take place. We draw from an understanding of violence to help elucidate those factors which may serve to increase the risk of violent offending. We then consider how such factors may be best applied to individual cases in informing our estimates of the likelihood of such reoffending. Related to this, we examine some considerations associated with the notion of the acceptability of levels of risk in relation to violent offending in informing our decision making.
