The Oxford Handbook of Behavioral Emergencies and Crisesincludes the most up-to-date and valuable research on the evaluation and management of arguably the most challenging patients faced by mental health practitioners—that is, individuals who are at high risk of suicide or other-directed violence or of becoming the victims of interpersonal violence. The outcome with such cases can be serious injury or death, and there can be negative consequences for the patient, and also for the patient’s family and friends, for the clinician, and for the clinic or medical center. This book presents a framework for learning the skills to assess and work competently with these patients. The book has sections dealing with such critical incidents in children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. There are sections to aid clinicians with conditions that need to be distinguished from behavioral emergencies; on treating patients or clients who have ongoing chronic risk of harming themselves or others; and on legal and ethical risk management as well as psychological risk management for the clinician in the event of a negative outcome. The book examines interrelated aspects of the major behavioral emergencies; for example, the degree to which interpersonal victimization may lead an individual to later suicidal or violent behavior; or the degree to which suicidal individuals and violent individuals may share certain cognitive characteristics. It also presents a method for reducing the clinician’s stress and acquiring skill in working with high-risk people.