How to Identify Potentially Violent People

An Australia researcher has spent nearly 300 hours observing patients in hospital emergency rooms, developing a method of identifying violent people.

Lauretta Luck, of the University of Western Sydney, says STAMP — which stands for Staring and eye contact, Tone and volume of voice, Anxiety, Mumbling and Pacing — could be used by any professional in potentially violent situations, such as law enforcement and social services, according to the study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Key findings of the study, co-authored by Debra Jackson, of the University of Western Sydney; and Kim Usher, of James Cook University; included:

— Staring was an important early indicator of potential violence.

— Lack of eye contact was also an issue and was associated with anger and passive resistance.

— Tone and volume of voice was associated with 13 of the 16 violent episodes.

— Many in an emergency department were anxious and nurses normally intervened before anxiety reached dangerous levels.

— Eleven of the 16 violent patients were observed mumbling, using slurred or incoherent speech or repeatedly asking the same question.

— Pacing, staggering, waving arms around or pulling away from healthcare staff trying to treat them was seen as an indication of mounting agitation.