Need for victimization screening in a black psychiatric population.

Recent reports indicate that violence toward others is a major public health problem in the black community; however, there are very few empirical studies that delineate the severity of the problem. In an effort to add to the meager data on violence in the black community, the authors compiled the results of a victimization screening form obtained from a black outpatient psychiatric population. Recommendations are made that black psychiatric populations be screened for histories of victimization, as victimization is common in this population group and will have a significant impact on treatment.