Edgar Frog – Intake and Violence Risk Assessment
This is part of a school assignment I did for my Case Management course, it is an analysis of Edgar Frog from the point of view of a social service worker meeting him for the first time. This is as close to an authentic intake as possible, based on the AU storyline that Edgar finally got arrested and sent to jail. Given his debts and lack of supports, the Frog Bros. Trailer and his property would be gone by the time he got out, and unless someone human was willing to take him in, he would be homeless. Edgar was court-ordered to participate in counselling and remain in supervised housing because of his violent history and what they see as potential mental illness (but we know is true knowledge!). This involves the questions you see below, as well as "assessment tools" at the discretion of the evaluator. In this case, the worker chose the Violence Risk Assessment Guide, which I was able to download luckily, because I don't have the thousands it costs to buy!
For the purposes of the intake, I cheated it a tiny bit. This Edgar is a lot more forthcoming than he might be. I wrote it that he is willing to cooperate because he realizes that the more he cooperates, the quicker he can get back to hunting. The clock is ticking, and he is willing to sacrifice some of his privacy and independence to get back on the hunt. As soon as he has a little money saved up, he will probably take off without a trace. He hasn't shared everything though.
I also completed Edgar's Genogram, which is an enhanced family tree: art/Lost-Boys-Edgar-Frog-s-Genogram-402467096
CLIENT INTAKE SHEET
Date completed: Sept 16, 2013
Name of Client: Edgar Frog
DOB: 1974-12-10
Address: 45 White St. San Cazador
Home Phone: 408-554-4063 (Cell)
*Can we leave a message identifying as San Cazador County Regional Social Services? Yes.
Height: 5'7 Weight: 180 Eyes: Blue
Distinguishing marks: Tattoo on neck, tribal.
Relationship Status: Single
Partner's name: / DOB: /
Address: / Partner's Gender: /
Partner's source of income: /
Children or Dependants
Name: None Relationship to dependant: /
DOB: / Reside with you? Yes/No
Household Composition
Name: None Relationship to dependant: /
DOB: /
Household Dwelling
Type: Transitional housing for paroled offenders. House.
Ownership: Rent, paid through Ontario Works.
Household Finances
Range: Ontario Works
Contributors: Single Income
If employed, describe type of work: Trained in artisanal surf board shaping, currently not working.
4. Education: Less than grade ten.
5. Describe your work history:
Client interrupted at this point, to express that he was there only to satisfy the conditions of his parole in order to avoid going back to "that bloodsucker-run hellhole" (prison), that he didn't need therapy, and the longer his hands were tied by "the police and their sheep" the more danger society was in.
What danger society is society in?
He replied that in his absence, vampires had run wild, either killing or neutralizing the other vampire hunters he had worked with, as proven by the disappearance of his friend and hunting partner who had originally agreed to house him after his release from prison.
Is vampire hunting your primary hobby?
The client took offense to my characterization of vampire hunting as a hobby, and became angry. He replied that it was a calling, a sacred mission, and that he was defending Truth, Justice, and The American Way.
Are vampires something that regular citizens should be worried about? Do you worry about them on a daily basis?
The client replied that we, every "civilian", was in constant danger of either being killed by a vampire, or turned into one. The reason we were unaware of the danger we were in was that vampires occupied high positions in news and media, and censored anyone who tried to get word out.
At this point I steered the conversation back to the client's work history.
Starting at 12, the client ran his parents' comic book shop in Santa Carla (BC) with his brother, Alan. Around the same time, he took up vampire hunting (which he described as his primary occupation, and his wage-earning jobs as 'his cover' or 'day job') also with his brother. When asked why he was running the shop at such a young age, he initially explained that his parents were busy, but later disclosed that they were too intoxicated to supervise the client and his sibling, or to operate their business. Their parents had a consistent drug abuse problem from the client's childhood until today. Occasional income also came from offering his services to individuals plagued by vampires.
After the comic book shop went out of business, the client worked at various retail positions until he apprenticed as a surf-board shaper, which has since been his primary income, in addition to occasional paying vampire hunting contracts.
MEDICAL HISTORY (Current medications, allergies, hospitalizations, diagnosis, etc.)
Client characterizes himself as "healthy as a horse".
Client has several hospital admissions for injuries sustained while vampire hunting. The injuries consisted of broken bones and lacerations.
Were there any birth complications when you were born? Were milestones reached at the appropriate age? Any significant events in your early years?
None expressed by client. / Unknown.
Is there any concern about suicide? Today or in the past? Please explain.
No. Client expressed that if he were to "go out" it would be at the hands of a vampire, and he would take the "suck-monkey" and it's whole tribe with him.
How concerned are you about suicide? 1-10 Scale.
3 – When asked, client did not elaborate.
Do you have anyone to talk to about this? If so, who?
Reiterated that it was not a large concern, but said he had a friend who would probably prefer her name not be shared.
Is there any concern about alcohol, prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or inhalants? Please explain.
Non-drinker. Reported no concerns.
Is there any concern about gambling of any kind?
None.
Is there any concern about violence in your life today or in the past? Either from or towards you? Either mental, physical, or sexual? Please explain.
Client appeared agitated, explaining that violence was a part of life, because we are in a war with a race of predators that see living human beings as nothing but cattle to be fed upon and killed at a whim. Pacifists and idealists don't last long in open war.
But what are your personal concerns about violence? How has it touched your life?
The client replied that violence had taken everyone he ever loved, and did not wish to elaborate. He told me that the answer I should write down is that he would never be violent towards a living human.
Noting that his words do not match his two incarcerations for assault, as well as a juvenile justice file on a violent burglary committed by himself and his brother when they were 15.
Do you feel you could be the victim of violence? Or did you at any point in your life?
The client reported that having grown up in the "murder capital of the world" (Santa Carla), he had seen his first death when he was eight, and since then had made sure he was never vulnerable. He expressed an awareness of how his views could seem strange to a "civilian", but that I might see the world a little differently when I left work that day, and might be a little more careful after dark. The client seemed genuinely concerned for my safety.
No information given on family violence.
How concerned are you about violence on a scale of 1 to 10?
Evaluator skipped question because the client had already provided information on violence in their life, and seemed as if he wished to move on.
Have you been or are you being seen by a medical professional?
No.
LEGAL HISTORY (Have you ever been involved with the legal system in any way – such as family law, criminal law, child welfare law, etc.)
The client's narrative agreed with the information we have. Without any prompting, the client explained that all of his arrests occurred during vampire hunts. The "members of the undead" he was hunting used the police as enslaved defenders, or in one incident, a concerned neighbour tried to stop the hunters and was mistakenly attacked. He expressed regret for that incident, but not for the prosecuted and non-prosecuted assaults he perceived as ethical.
SERVICE PROVIDOR HISTORY: (Have you ever been involved with any type of "helper" – such as a counsellor, social worker, CAS, etc. Have you ever been involved with any type of "helping agency"?)
No.
SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS: (Name the people that matter to you and explain why this is the case.)
Client saw this as a security risk. He declined to answer, explaining that if his enemies got their hands on this record, they could track down those still living and kill them.
Would it be safer to leave out their names and how exactly they are related to you? That way, no matter who has this record, they can't be tracked down.
The client replied that I underestimated the resourcefulness of the undead, but decided to participate none the less.
Friend X: (Deceased) (Vampire, compassionate killing): "Very, very close" to the client. Childhood friends, described as 'partners'. Undisclosed if hunting partners, or relationship.
Friend Y: A "sweet girl", described as too smart for her own good. Client expressed that he regretted training her to hunt vampires, and would blame himself if she were killed. She was emotional support after death of Friend X and shared hobbies and passion for supernatural with client.
Brother: (Relationship distant) Client would not disclose what caused the relationship breakdown, but stated that it was the client's own fault, for not being able to protect his brother sufficiently.
Client had an extremely limited support structure.
SOCIAL AND/OR RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: (Do you have any hobbies, sports, etc that you enjoy doing? Do you do any of these on a regular basis? Is there anything you would like to start doing if you could and why?)
The client is a recreational surfer, and surf shaper, both of which he expressed a wish to begin again once he was able to buy the equipment. The shaping could also be a source of income. He also loves comic books, and has an extremely thorough knowledge of comic book superhero canon.
COPING TOOLS:
When you experience any type of stress, what behaviours am I likely to see you doing?
Smoking
Harm self/others (Specifically, "the undead". He deflected this with humour, but in the context of his other disclosures, I take this seriously.)
Go for a drive
Other: Work. Which he clarified as researching potential vampire nests and patterns of disappearances that might point to undead activity.
PRESENTING CONCERN:
What is your main concern?
The client wishes to leave the transitional housing and live on his own, restart his business "Frog Brothers Surf Company" and resume his primary employment of hunting.
Is there anything else that is bothering you?
Nothing/Unknown
What have you tried to improve this concern that is/had working? That is/has not worked?
The client has inquired or applied to a few jobs, but as San Cazador is a small community, he is known by local community members, and feels he is unlikely to find work. He expressed the possibility of leaving to return to his home town of Santa Carla, a larger community where he is not known. I reminded him that part of participation in this program and satisfying his release requirements are that he remains in the community.
Who is aware of your concerns?
None.
Are you working with any helpers at this time from other agencies?
No.
STRENGTHS:
What are you most proud of in your life? What things have you accomplished, completed, been successful at?
His hunting techniques, knowledge of folk lore, weapons design, and research abilities are all self-taught without any conventional schooling.
Is I asked someone close to you, to name your best quality, strength, etc. what would they say?
Stubbornness. Loyalty to the cause when everyone else had abandoned it, or it had killed them, referring to the unending and unwinnable fight against the undead.
You believe that your battle against vampires can't be won?
He replied that yes, one man, or even 100 could never kill all the vampires in the world. Vampirism is a pyramid scheme, and until he took out the "alpha" (original vampire), it was just population control. He admitted sometimes doubting his purpose.
Do you ever think of stopping hunting, and taking up something else?
No. He replied that he never considered giving up, because even a few lives saved from the "suckmonkeys" were worth it. He also expressed that he had been doing it so long that he had nothing else.
Describe an obstacle that you have overcome and explain how you were able to do that.
Raising and protecting his brother as they grew up without supervision.
What values are most important to you?
Loyalty to family, knowing your beliefs and sticking to them.
Assessment Tool: Violence Risk Assessment Guide (VRAG)
Given Mr. Frog's disclosure of what he estimates to be over 40 murders, and at least as many assaults and break-in's over the course of his life, and his factual criminal record, which includes violence, I feel it prudent to evaluate his likelihood that he is a threat to others in the community. Though I am not qualified to administer this assessment, as an informal tool I found it very informative. I used his criminally prosecuted offenses only in the assessment, as his unconfirmed disclosures may not reflect reality.
Results:
Mr. Frog registered as a "medium" risk on the VRAG assessment. This is in line with my own evaluations of him in that he does not appear to be an immediate threat to those sharing his home or the community at large, but that he requires supervision and to prevent his relapsing into the potentially violent career of "vampire hunting", he should be referred for intensive counselling to reduce his dependence on his vampire hunting as a sole goal and life purpose.
Evaluation and Direction of Future Referrals
Mr. Frog is 36 years old, and has just been released from prison. He resides in transitional housing in San Cazador. He is strongly motivated to become employed and financially independent, but faces multiple barriers to achieving these goals.
He suffers intense delusions and this greatly impairs his social functioning, ability to maintain housing, employment, and positive social contact. He has a history of childhood neglect and parental substance abuse, though he himself has no history of drug or alcohol abuse. He lacks a social or family support structure, though he may have living family members with whom contact can be re-established. With extended counselling and long-term contact with social services, he can achieve his goals of being independent.
I am extremely concerned about the possibility of violence perpetrated by Mr. Frog. His delusions are of an extreme nature and he has a history of criminal violence, the client claims to have perpetrated multiple murders. If his violent actions are fantasy on his part, it is still clear that the delusions interfere with his ability to participate in the community and form healthy relationships with people who do not share his beliefs, and may also be responsible for the breakdown of his family relationships. I plan to evaluate him on a continuous basis, to determine if he would benefit from a referral to a psychiatrist and possible medication. His lack of connection in the community, social safety net, history of minor crime, and growing up in a context of violence also suggest a high risk. As it stands, however, I plan to refer him to a councellor with experience working with violent offenders. They specialize in person-focused Cognitive Therapy, which has been suggested as effective in cases of non-bizarre delusions by Siddle, R. and Turkington, D. (1998). This form of cognitive therapy includes Socratic Questioning to test the logic and validity of his beliefs, as well as a therapeutic alliance that creates a safe space for his non-traditional beliefs, but does not suggest I am colluding with them. Additionally, it involves Inference Chaining, which explores the protective function the delusion might hold for his psyche (Siddle, R. and Turkington, D. 1998), which is similar to the Freudian concept of defense mechanisms, but in this case will be treated using cognitive techniques instead of Psycho-Analytic therapy.
I also plan to have him IQ tested, and broach the possibility of adult education in order to get his formal high school equivalency. This will increase his job prospects, provide him with reasons to interact with the community, and have peer interactions beyond his group home. There are applied programs which include work placements and a nearby college offers a combined trades program with High School equivalency courses, which may appeal to him more than purely academic programming because he previously worked in a hands-on artisanal vocation.
The primary barrier to his forming healthy social relationships is his delusion, but while that is being worked through, he may be able to increase his social interactions through his hobbies. He did previously surf, and is a comic-book lover, both of which are opportunities to interact with peers in contexts outside of hunting. Cognitive therapy may address this, but primarily I want to connect him with offender integration programs or volunteer opportunities which may encourage him to interact socially outside of the offender population.
Bibliography
Siddle, R. and Turkington, D. (1998) Cognitive Therapy for the Treatment of Delusions. Journal of Continuing Professional Development. 4:235-241.
Cormier, Harris, Quinsey, Rice (2006) Violent Offenders: Appraising and Managing Risk. American Psychological Association. 2nd Edition; APA, Washington D.C.