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Burleson JA, Kaminer Y, Dennis M (2006), Absence of iatrogenic orcontagion effects in adolescent group therapy: f indings from theCannabis Youth Treatment (CYT) study. Am J Addict 15:4Y15

Dishion TJ, McCord J, Poulin F (1999), When interventions harm: peergroups and problem behavior. Am Psychol 54:755Y764

Eccles JS, Gootman JA (2002), Community Programs to Promote YouthDevelopment. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Boardof Children, Youth, and Families. Division of Behavioral and SocialScience and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press

Lipsey M (2006), The effects of community-based group treatment fordelinquency: a meta-analytic search for cross-study generalizations. In:Deviant by Design: Interventions and Policies That Aggregate DeviantYouth and Strategies to Optimize Outcomes, Dodge K, Dishion T, eds.New York: Guilford

Weiss B, Caron A, Ball S, Tapp J, Johnson M, Weisz JR (2005), Iatrogeniceffects of group treatment for antisocial youth. J Cons Clin Psychol73:1036Y1044

Assessing and Managing Violence Risk in Juveniles. ByRandy Borum and David Verhaagen. New York: GuilfordPress, 2006, 226 pp., $35 (hardcover).

Mental health professionals, practicing in a variety ofsettings, are faced with the challenge of risk assessment andviolence prevention in youths. Although studies haveidentified a range of risk factors for juvenile violence, andeven as insight is growing with respect to effective (andnoneffective) interventions, it remains challenging to inte-grate this empirical knowledge in daily clinical practice. Inthat context, the authors of this volume have bravely aimed atbridging the gap between science and practice in assessingand managing violence risk in adolescents.The book is divided into three parts. The focus of part I is

on understanding youth violence and provides an overview ofthe current scientific literature. The initial chapter addressestrends and processes in youth violence, for example, byshowing rates over the years, and gives a brief theoreticalbackground on the putatively underlying causes of violence.The authors specifically stress that violence is multideter-mined, transactive (i.e., it does not result from a linearprocess of cause and effect) and, specifically in youths, shouldalways be considered in a developmental context. This lasttopic is illustrated by briefly describing biological, cognitive,and psychological development during adolescence. More-over, subtypes of aggression, the role of gender, andidentifiable types of and pathways into delinquency arediscussed.In Chapter 2, before listing the most important risk

factors for youth violence, some relevant issues arediscussed concerning the often apparent interrelationshipsbetween these risk factors. BRisk factors rarely occur inisolation and rarely have a simple cause-and-effect relation-ship with violence[ (p. 29). When discussing the evidenceof relationships between several risk factors and youthviolence, the factors are divided into psychosocial of a

historical (static), individual (amenable to change), orcontextual nature. Although a short section on neuropsy-chological and biological considerations (p. 46) isprovided, this topic may have deserved more attention.For example, the authors might have mentioned the widelyaccepted view that biological and psychosocial risk factorsinteract and therefore are important to take into con-sideration simultaneously.In Chapter 3, the important topic of the interrelation-

ships between mental/behavioral disorders and violentbehavior is discussed. For example, one of many typicalstudies reported 6 of 10 youths in juvenile detention tohave one or more mental disorders, even when excludingconduct disorder. The authors rightly stress the limitationsof many of the current studies since most have beenconducted with incarcerated youths and therefore resultsmay not translate to nondetained youths displayingantisocial behavior.Part II of the book is dedicated to conducting violence risk

assessments with juveniles. The authors set out in Chapter 4to describe risk as a contextual, dynamic, and continuousconstruct. The clinical versus actuarial debate on this point isbriefly mentioned, after which the authors advocate for aBstructural professional[ approach that combines bothstructured actuarial information and clinical judgment.The model is evaluated and described in this chapter withpractical examples (e.g., a checklist for the history of violenceand a heuristic risk-decision model). In Chapter 5, somegeneral information is provided on psychological tests andassessment instruments, mainly referring to other availableresources. Chapter 6 addresses the topic of assessing risk oftargeted violence.In the subsequent chapter, report writing and risk

communication are addressed. Here, the authors provide astructured framework for what a solid report should containand some variations of approaches to avoid statements likeBin my clinical opinion, Bobby K is dangerous[ (p. 123). InChapter 8, some specific topics are briefly mentioned,including bullying, juvenile sexual offending, fire setting,juvenile homicide, and access to weapons.The final part of the book addresses treatment and

intervention. In Chapter 9, research-based principles forreducing violence risk are listed, with the authors advocatingfor applying the most intensive resources to the highest riskcases and, in general, managing youths in the communityinstead of through institutional confinement. The book_sfinal chapter then goes on to meticulously exemplify effectiveand practical intervention plans.Overall, this is a clearly written book targeted to a wide

audience of professionals who are challenged to clinicallyassess violent youths and predict the risk of futureviolence. The book seems to be a good starting point

BOOK REVIEWS

1231J . AM. ACAD. CHILD ADOLESC. PSYCHIATRY, 46:9, SEPTEMBER 2007

Copyright @ 2007 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

resource for theoretical background information for thosenot familiar with this field. For more experiencedprofessionals the book may not contain new theoreticalinsights. However, because of the many clinical examplesand the chapters dedicated to detailed practical advice onthe processes of assessment, reporting, and intervening,the book seems most relevant for clinically immersedprofessionals. The book is one of the first to attemptbridging the gap between a growing scientific knowledgeof youth violence and the often complex clinical practiceof dealing with problematic juveniles who deserve well-informed care.

Arne Popma, M.D.VU Medical Centre

Amsterdam

DOI: 10.1097/01.chi.0000270780.72668.43

Disclosure: The author has no financial relationships to disclose.

Note to Publishers: Books for review should be sent to StevenSchlozman, M.D., Department of Child Psychiatry, Yawkey Centerfor Outpatient Care, 55 Fruit Street, Suite 6900, Boston, MA 02114.

BOOK REVIEWS

1232 J . AM. ACAD. CHILD ADOLESC. PSYCHIATRY, 46:9, SEPTEMBER 2007