Use of the HCR-20 version 3 with women: A narrative synthesis

The Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 Version 3 (HCR-20 V3) is a violence risk assessment tool that has been insufficiently studied in women. Existing reviews provide limited information on women’s characteristics and clinical presentations. This review explores the profiles of women assessed with the HCR-20 V3. Five databases were searched and 11 studies included, totalling 445 women. The women mainly resided in Western inpatient psychiatric settings. Schizophrenia spectrum, substance misuse, and personality disorders were most common. Studies found the Clinical scale to be most predictive of future violence. Methodological limitations of the studies are discussed and recommendations made for future research and practice.