Already a subscriber? Thank you for your support. If you are not, please consider subscribing today. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks.

A study conducted in the late 1990s found that mental health professionals trying to predict violent behavior among patients were correct about half of the time — slightly better than a coin flip. A subsequent study in 2012 found that profession’s predictive tools had improved slightly, but they still weren’t accurate enough to be used as the sole determinant for sentencing, detention and release.

Violence is hard to predict

How we form perceptions that mentally ill people are violent

Statistics don’t show a strong link between mental illness and violence

Newsletter The stories shaping California

Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week.

Enter Email Address Sign Me Up

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.