The Historical Clinical Risk Management-20, Version 3 (Douglas, Hart, Webster, & Belfrage, 2013), also known as HCR-20V3, or simply V3, is a comprehensive set of professional guidelines for the assessment and management of violence risk. Following Versions 1 and 2 of the HCR-20, the HCR-20V3 embodies and exemplifies the Structured Professional Judgment (SPJ) model of violence risk assessment. Its most common applications are within correctional, forensic, and general or civil psychiatric settings, whether in the institution or in the community. It is applicable to adults aged 18 and above who may pose a risk for future violence.

HCR-20V3 builds upon a solid foundation laid by Versions 1 and 2 of the HCR-20. Version 2 of the HCR-20 has been subjected to more than 200 empirical evaluations based on more than 150 independent data sets. It has been translated into 20 languages, and has been adopted or evaluated in 35 countries. Recent research indicates that it is the most commonly used violence risk assessment instrument in the world. Meta-analytic evidence has found that it performs as well or better than other approaches to risk assessment.

HCR-20V3 contains extensive guidelines for the evaluation of not only the presence of 20 key violence risk factors, but also their relevance to the evaluee at hand. It also contains information to help evaluators construct meaningful formulations of violence risk, future risk scenarios, appropriate risk management plans, and informative communication of risk.

The revision process for HCR-20V3 was thorough and careful. We consulted broadly within the field of violence risk assessment, and completed detailed research reviews and summaries of its 20 risk factors. The HCR-20V3 underwent clinical beta-testing across four counties. It was subjected to empirical evaluations across five countries, ranging from small- to large-scale investigations of reliability and validity. Numerous other studies are also underway. Together, feedback from these revision efforts have indicated to us that HCR-20V3 will be even more clinically useful that its predecessor, while still enjoying a solid empirical basis.

Full Citation for HCR-20 V3

Douglas, K. S., Hart, S. D., Webster, C. D., & Belfrage, H. (2013). HCR-20V3: Assessing risk of violence – User guide. Burnaby, Canada: Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute, Simon Fraser University.

HCR-20 Annotated Bibliography

Douglas, K. S., Shaffer, C., Blanchard, A. J. E., Guy, L. S., Reeves, K., & Weir, J. (20014). HCR-20 violence risk assessment scheme: Overview and annotated bibliography. HCR-20 Violence Risk Assessment White Paper Series, #1. Burnaby, Canada: Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute, Simon Fraser University.

HCR-20 V2 Risk Factor Literature Review

Guy, L. S., & Wilson, C. M. (2007). Empirical support for the HCR‐20: A critical analysis of the violence literature. HCR-20 Violence Risk Assessment White Paper Series, #2. Burnaby, Canada: Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute, Simon Fraser University.

HCR-20 V3 Risk Factor Literature Review and Rationale

Guy, L. S., Wilson, C. M., Douglas, K. S., Hart, S. D., Webster, C. D., & Belfrage, H. (2013). HCR-20 Version 3: Item-by-item summary of violence literature. HCR-20 Violence Risk Assessment White Paper Series, #3. Burnaby, Canada: Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute, Simon Fraser University.