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and mental health workers. Deinstitutionalization has created an enormous homeless population. Many of these people are mentally ill and potentially violent. People who need the structure and supervision of an institution are now crowding our homeless shelters, unemployment offices, emergency rooms and outpatient mental health clinics. The staffing levels in these agencies are not adequate to deal with the case loads. This again leads to more violence in society and against workers. RISK FACTORS There is a very dangerous common myth that workplace violence is essentially random and unpredictable. Because we can't predict it, we can't do anything about it. However, most violent acts are predictable -- even in supposedly non-violent jobs, where "random" acts of violence occur. Experts have compiled a long list of risk factors that are used to predict violence, including the work environment, work practices and the victim/perpetrator profiles. 3 Environmental factors that predict violence include a violent society, a violence prone neighborhood, the large number of weapons in circulation, early release of mental patients, and hospitalization instead of incarceration of criminals and risk of criminal penalties for injuring patients or clients. Work Practices include low staffing levels, working alone, working with money, long waits for services by customers, clients or patients, or the lack of available services. Perpetrator profiles include mentally ill persons who are not properly supervised or treated, gang members, relatives of injured persons, and drug users. People with a history of violent behavior are also prone to violent acts.
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