Focus in the media on the risks posed to ordinary people has become increasingly strong in the late 20th century - particularly on those risks popularly perceived to be posed by the mentally ill. But how justified is this concern? How do we best manage so-called dangerous people? In this text, Herschel Prins considers the issue of public protection within a broad context of risk in society generally, examining the concerns arising in contemporary society from dealing with uncertainty. It is argued that public fear over the danger posed by the mentally ill is at odds with the evidence, and that much of the concern is focused on a small number of high-profile cases. Prins goes on to examine such cases where management of the mentally ill has failed and sets out suggestions for improvements in practice. The book cuts through popular misunderstanding and media hype over risk to give a picture of the real risks to society from the mentally ill and how best they can be contained and managed.