title: Community violence perpetration and victimization among adults with mental illnesses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a large heterogeneous sample of adults with mental illnesses, we examined the 6-month prevalence and nature of community violence perpetration and victimization, as well as associations between these outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline data were pooled from 5 studies of adults with mental illnesses from across the United States (n = 4480); the studies took place from 1992 to 2007. The MacArthur Community Violence Screening Instrument was administered to all participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of perpetration ranged from 11.0% to 43.4% across studies, with approximately one quarter (23.9%) of participants reporting violence. Prevalence of victimization was higher overall (30.9%), ranging from 17.0% to 56.6% across studies. Most violence (63.5%) was perpetrated in residential settings. The prevalence of violence-related physical injury was approximately 1 in 10 overall and 1 in 3 for those involved in violent incidents. There were strong associations between perpetration and victimization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results provided further evidence that adults with mental illnesses experienced violent outcomes at high rates, and that they were more likely to be victims than perpetrators of community violence. There is a critical need for public health interventions designed to reduce violence in this vulnerable population.
authors: Sarah L. Desmarais and Kiersten L. Johnson are with the Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh. Richard A. Van Dorn is with the Behavioral Health Epidemiology Program, RTI International, Durham, NC. Kevin J. Grimm is with the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University. Kevin S. Douglas is with the Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia. Marvin S. Swartz is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
authors: Sarah L
authors: SL
authors: Desmarais
authors: Richard A
authors: RA
authors: Van Dorn
authors: Kiersten L
authors: KL
authors: Johnson
authors: Kevin J
authors: KJ
authors: Grimm
authors: Kevin S
authors: KS
authors: Douglas
authors: Marvin S
authors: MS
authors: Swartz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology