Clinical Assessment of Gang Violence Risk Through History and Physical Exam

Primary-care clinicians can assess gang involvement and gang violence risk during the routine history and physical exam. This paper forwards a model for history and risk assessment. The objective of creating the model was to develop a practical prototype for clinicians to use in this assessment. The history and physical exam variables were determined by a study of the etiology and correlates of gang membership and gang violence. The history and physical risk assessment tool is based on standard patient care algorithms. It works best in a managed care setting with a high incentive for violence prevention and cost reduction, and where access to a broad range of traditional and nontraditional referral sources exists. Representative referrals are discussed.