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Explaining rare acts of violence: the limits of evidence from population research.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Swanson, JW
Published in: Psychiatr Serv
November 2011

After the tragic mass shooting in Tucson, experts struggled to explain why such horrific events occur, in order to prevent them in the future. The author argues that homicides perpetrated with firearms against strangers by individuals with mental disorders occur far too infrequently in the population to allow explanatory statistical modeling and predictability. However, from a public health perspective that seeks to reduce violence in populations, it is likely that efforts to improve treatment access, continuity, and adherence for people with serious mental illnesses will also prevent some violent episodes, even if it remains impossible to reliably predict which specific individuals would otherwise engage in the most serious acts of violence.

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Published In

Psychiatr Serv

DOI

EISSN

1557-9700

Publication Date

November 2011

Volume

62

Issue

11

Start / End Page

1369 / 1371

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Violence
  • Psychiatry
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Homicide
  • Firearms
  • Crime
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
 

Citation

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Swanson, J. W. (2011). Explaining rare acts of violence: the limits of evidence from population research. Psychiatr Serv, 62(11), 1369–1371. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.62.11.pss6211_1369
Swanson, Jeffrey W. “Explaining rare acts of violence: the limits of evidence from population research.Psychiatr Serv 62, no. 11 (November 2011): 1369–71. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.62.11.pss6211_1369.
Swanson JW. Explaining rare acts of violence: the limits of evidence from population research. Psychiatr Serv. 2011 Nov;62(11):1369–71.
Swanson, Jeffrey W. “Explaining rare acts of violence: the limits of evidence from population research.Psychiatr Serv, vol. 62, no. 11, Nov. 2011, pp. 1369–71. Pubmed, doi:10.1176/ps.62.11.pss6211_1369.
Swanson JW. Explaining rare acts of violence: the limits of evidence from population research. Psychiatr Serv. 2011 Nov;62(11):1369–1371.
Journal cover image

Published In

Psychiatr Serv

DOI

EISSN

1557-9700

Publication Date

November 2011

Volume

62

Issue

11

Start / End Page

1369 / 1371

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Violence
  • Psychiatry
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Homicide
  • Firearms
  • Crime
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 3202 Clinical sciences