1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Diversity Issues in Violence Risk Assessment: Culture is presented by Stephen D. Hart, Ph.D. in partnership with Protect International Risk and Safety Services.

Culture influences violence in many ways. For example, there are substantial cross-cultural differences in the nature and prevalence of violence, in the presence and relevance of major risk factors for violence, and in social responses to violence. But what exactly is culture? How does it exert an influence on violence risk? And how should professionals assess a person’s culture and consider its potential significance in a given case?

In this program, Dr. Hart begins by reviewing critical research and theory on cross-cultural aspects of violence risk. He then turns to practice, discussing simple steps professionals can take to address cultural issues. The focus of this program is on enhancing general competence with respect to culture and developing an analytical framework that can—and should—be used in every case. This is essential not only to maximize the effectiveness of our work related to violence risk assessment and management but to do so in a way that fulfills our ethical and legal duties to respect the dignity and human rights of the people affected by the services we deliver.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the concept of culture
  • 2 Describe major cross-cultural differences in violence
  • 3 Describe theoretical perspectives on the role of culture in violence
  • 4 Describe how to evaluate a person’s culture
  • 5 Describe how to evaluate the potential relevance of a person’s culture to violence risk assessment and management

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and allied professionals who want to enhance their understanding of how cultural factors impact violence risk assessment and management. It is particularly relevant for those specializing in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, or related fields where cultural considerations are essential to accurately evaluating and managing risk. Participants will gain practical knowledge and skills to apply culturally informed approaches in their professional practice.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Forensic Psychologist
    • Allied Professional involved in risk assessment and management
    • Clinician

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals seeking to enhance their competence in addressing cultural factors in violence risk assessment and management.

    • Beginner: Participants may have limited prior training in cross-cultural issues related to violence risk, are developing foundational knowledge of cultural concepts, and are seeking practical strategies to integrate cultural considerations into their assessments.
    • Advanced: Participants have substantial experience in violence risk assessment with diverse populations, possess advanced knowledge of cross-cultural theory and practice, and seek to refine their expertise in complex or high-stakes cases.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians who participate in this training typically work in environments where they conduct violence risk assessments and manage cases involving individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. These settings require sensitivity to cultural differences, ethical practice, and the ability to apply culturally informed frameworks to complex situations. Professionals may work independently or as part of multidisciplinary teams, often collaborating with legal, medical, or community agencies. The work environment is dynamic and may involve direct client contact, report writing, consultation, and participation in case conferences.

    Examples of practice settings:

    • Forensic hospitals or psychiatric units
    • Community mental health centers
    • Correctional facilities or probation/parole services
    • Private practice specializing in forensic or clinical assessment
    • Academic or research institutions
    • Courts or legal consultation services
    • Social service agencies working with at-risk populations
    • Crisis intervention or emergency psychiatric services

Presented By

Stephen D. Hart, PhD Faculty in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University

Dr. Stephen D. Hart obtained BA, MA, and PhD degrees in psychology at the University of British Columbia. He has been on faculty in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University since 1990, and has held the rank of Professor since 2001. He also served as a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway between 2000 and 2021. His expertise is in the field of clinical-forensic psychology, with a special focus on the assessment of violence risk and psychopathic personality disorder. He has co-authored more than 250 books, chapters, and articles. He has served as editor of two scientific journals; a member of the editorial board of eight journals; and ad hoc reviewer for more than 40 journals. He has served as an executive committee member of several professional organizations, including President of the American Psychology-Law Society and the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services. He has received various distinctions for his professional work, including the Career Achievement Award from the Society of Clinical Psychology, the Saleem Shah Award for Early Career Research Excellence in Psychology and Law from the American Psychology-Law Society and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. He maintains an active practice in violence risk assessment. He has consulted with government agencies from more than 25 countries; led more than 500 training workshops around the world; and given expert evidence before courts, tribunals, inquests, review boards, and parliamentary committees in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Stephen D. Hart, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Research and Theory

  • Addressing cultural issues

  • General competence

We are proud to partner with

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

We are proud to partner with Protect International Risk and Safety Services for this training. Protect International's threat assessment professionals are internationally recognized experts that have developed some of the world's most widely used and best-validated threat assessment tools. Protect International provides services and products related to violence risk assessment and management, also known as threat assessment and management. Protect International services and products include threat assessment training and support, case assessment and management, legal consultation, policy review and development, and program evaluation and research; along with threat assessment manuals, worksheets, licenses, and software applications for those tools.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.