scholarly journals Rates of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Shaw ◽  
Isabelle M. Hunt ◽  
Sandra Flynn ◽  
Janet Meehan ◽  
Jo Robinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
History Of ◽  
Clinical Survey ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Diminished Responsibility

BackgroundPrevious studies of people convicted of homicide have used different definitions of mental disorder.AimsTo estimate the rate of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide; to examine the relationship between definitions, verdict and outcome in court.MethodA national clinical survey of people convicted of homicide (n=1594) in England and Wales (1996–1999). Rates of mental disorder were estimated based on: lifetime diagnosis, mental illness at the time of the offence, contact with psychiatric services, diminished responsibility verdict and hospital disposal.ResultsOf the 1594, 545 (34%) had a mental disorder: most had not attended psychiatric services; 85 (5%) had schizophrenia (lifetime); 164 (10%) had symptoms of mental illness at the time of the offence; 149 (9%) received a diminished responsibility verdict and 111 (7%) a hospital disposal – both were associated with severe mental illness and symptoms of psychosis.ConclusionsThe findings suggest an association between schizophrenia and conviction for homicide. Most perpetrators with a history of mental disorder were not acutely ill or under mental healthcare at the time of the offence. Some perpetrators receive prison sentences despite having severe mental illness.

scholarly journals Diminished responsibility in Scotland: new technology and old legal definitions

1993 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 484-486
Author(s):  
Mary Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Brain Imaging ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Test Results ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
High Court ◽  
Points Of Interest ◽  
Murder Trial ◽  
Diminished Responsibility

The following recent murder trial at a Scottish High Court raises some points of interest to all UK psychiatrists in relation to the use of brain imaging test results as psychiatric evidence and their relevance to the question of diminished responsibility. It should be noted that in Scotland diminished responsibility has a much narrower scope than that encountered in the England and Wales (Chiswick, 1991) and is dependent upon the presence of a “mental disorder or a mental illness or disease” (Connelly v HMA 1990).

scholarly journals Latent profiles of early developmental vulnerabilities in a New South Wales child population at age 5 years

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 530-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa J Green ◽  
Stacy Tzoumakis ◽  
Kristin R Laurens ◽  
Kimberlie Dean ◽  
Maina Kariuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Early Development ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
New South ◽  
Criminal Offending ◽  
Parental History ◽  
South Wales ◽  
History Of

Objective: Detecting the early emergence of childhood risk for adult mental disorders may lead to interventions for reducing subsequent burden of these disorders. We set out to determine classes of children who may be at risk for later mental disorder on the basis of early patterns of development in a population cohort, and associated exposures gleaned from linked administrative records obtained within the New South Wales Child Development Study. Methods: Intergenerational records from government departments of health, education, justice and child protection were linked with the Australian Early Development Census for a state population cohort of 67,353 children approximately 5 years of age. We used binary data from 16 subdomains of the Australian Early Development Census to determine classes of children with shared patterns of Australian Early Development Census–defined vulnerability using latent class analysis. Covariates, which included demographic features (sex, socioeconomic status) and exposure to child maltreatment, parental mental illness, parental criminal offending and perinatal adversities (i.e. birth complications, smoking during pregnancy, low birth weight), were examined hierarchically within latent class analysis models. Results: Four classes were identified, reflecting putative risk states for mental disorders: (1) disrespectful and aggressive/hyperactive behaviour, labelled ‘misconduct risk’ ( N = 4368; 6.5%); (2) ‘pervasive risk’ ( N = 2668; 4.0%); (3) ‘mild generalised risk’ ( N = 7822; 11.6%); and (4) ‘no risk’ ( N = 52,495; 77.9%). The odds of membership in putative risk groups (relative to the no risk group) were greater among children from backgrounds of child maltreatment, parental history of mental illness, parental history of criminal offending, socioeconomic disadvantage and perinatal adversities, with distinguishable patterns of association for some covariates. Conclusion: Patterns of early childhood developmental vulnerabilities may provide useful indicators for particular mental disorder outcomes in later life, although their predictive utility in this respect remains to be established in longitudinal follow-up of the cohort.

Quality of parenting and vulnerability to depression: results from a family study

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. DUGGAN ◽  
P. SHAM ◽  
C. MINNE ◽  
A. LEE ◽  
R. MURRAY
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Family Study ◽  
Past History ◽  
Familial Risk ◽  
Self Report ◽  
History Of ◽  
Quality Of Parenting ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
History Of Depression

Background. We examined a group of subjects at familial risk of depression and explored the relationship between the perceptions of parents and a history of depression. We also investigated: (a) whether any difference in perceived parenting found between those with and without a past history of depression was an artefact of the depression; and (b) whether the relationship between parenting and depression was explained by neuroticism.Method. We took a sample of first-degree relatives selected from a family study in depression and subdivided them by their history of mental illness on the SADS-L, into those: (a) without a history of mental illness (N=43); and (b) those who had fully recovered from an episode of RDC major depression (N=34). We compared the perceptions of parenting, as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), in these two groups having adjusted for the effect of neuroticism and subsyndromal depressive symptoms. We also had informants report on parenting of their siblings, the latter being subdivided into those with and without a past history of depression.Results. Relatives with a past history of depression showed lower care scores for both mother and father combined compared with the never ill relatives. The presence of a history of depression was associated with a non-significant reduction in the self-report care scores compared to the siblings report. Vulnerable personality (as measured by high neuroticism) and low perceived care were both found to exert independent effects in discriminating between the scores of relatives with and without a history of depression and there was no interaction between them.Conclusion. This study confirmed that low perceived parental care was associated with a past history of depression, that it was not entirely an artefact of having been depressed, and suggested that this association was partially independent of neuroticism.

R v Westwood (Thomas): diminished responsibility and disposals under the Mental Health Act 1983

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Mennim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
Court Of Appeal ◽  
Diminished Responsibility

This is a commentary on R v Westwood (Thomas), where the Court of Appeal of England and Wales held that the judge had erred in assessing Westwood’s ‘retained responsibility’ as medium to high under the Sentencing Council Guideline for manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Although the sentencing judge concluded that the offending was caused by Westwood’s anger, the Court of Appeal found the psychiatric evidence clearly indicated that the most significant factor was Westwood’s mental illness and that his anger at the time of the offence was a manifestation of his mental illness. Westwood’s responsibility was low, and it was appropriate to impose both a hospital and restriction order.  

scholarly journals Suicide by prisoners

2004 ◽  
Vol 184 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Shaw ◽  
Denise Baker ◽  
Isabelle M. Hunt ◽  
Anne Moloney ◽  
Louis Appleby
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Primary Diagnosis ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Prison Health ◽  
History Of ◽  
Clinical Survey

BackgroundThe number of suicides in prison has increased over recent years. This is the first study to describe the clinical care of a national sample of prison suicides.AimsTo describe the clinical and social circumstances of self-inflicted deaths among prisoners.MethodA national clinical survey based on a 2-year sample of self-inflicted deaths in prisoners. Detailed clinical and social information was collected from prison governors and prison health care staff.ResultsThere were 172 self-inflicted deaths: 85 (49%; 95% CI 42–57) were of prisoners on remand; 55 (32%; 95% CI 25–39) occurred within 7 days of reception into prison. The commonest method was hanging or self-strangulation (92%; 95% CI 88–96). A total of 110 (72%; 95% CI 65–79) had a history of mental disorder. The commonest primary diagnosis was drug dependence (39, 27%; 95% CI 20–35). Eighty-nine (57%; 95% CI 49–64) had symptoms suggestive of mental disorder at reception into prison.ConclusionsSuicide prevention measures should be concentrated in the period immediately following reception into prison. Because hanging is the commonest method of suicide, removal of potential ligature points from cells should be a priority.

scholarly journals Importance of specialisation in psychiatric services: Commentary on … How did we let it come to this?

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 364-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Killaspy
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Clinical Outcome ◽  
Continuity Of Care ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Delivery Systems ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
The Face

SummaryIn this issue, Dr Lodge makes a plea for continuity of care in the face of the increased specialisation of mental healthcare over recent years. However, continuity of care is not a straightforward concept and its relationship to clinical outcome is not established. The increased specialisation of mental healthcare reflects an evolving evidence base that has increased our understanding of mental illness and the treatments and delivery systems that are most effective. In other words, specialisation is the sign of a progressive field.

scholarly journals Just Like Any Other Family? Everyday Life Experiences of Mothers of Adults with Severe Mental Illness in Sweden

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 1023-1032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarina Piuva ◽  
Helene Brodin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Family Carer ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Care Support ◽  
Mothers Experiences

AbstractThis study explores experiences of mothers in Sweden who care for their adult children suffering from severe mental illness. Using 15 interviews with mothers from 40 to 80 years old, the article examines how predominant professional knowledge and sanism constructs the mothers and their children as deviant and what counterstrategies the mothers develop as a response to these experiences of discrimination. The findings show that the mothers’ experiences are characterized by endless confrontations with negative attitudes and comments that have forced them to go through painful and prolonged processes of self-accusations for not having given enough love, care, support and help in different stages of their children's life. But the mothers’ experiences also reveal important aspects of changes over the life span. As the mothers are ageing, the relationship between them and their children becomes more reciprocal and the ill child may even take the role as family carer.

Telemental Health in Africa

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinclair Wynchank ◽  
Dora Wynchank
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Telemental Health ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Broadcast Media ◽  
Equipment Costs

Although telemental health (TMH) in Africa shares much with TMH in well-resourced nations, significant differences exist. These mainly result from relatively small funds available for all forms of healthcare, inadequate infrastructure, lack of mental healthcare personnel, and cross-cultural difficulties. The majority of individuals with severe mental illness receive no treatment in most African countries. This lack has been alleviated in part by some “North–South” and “South–South” TMH programs, in addition to other locally initiated programs. African TMH has emphasized provision of a wide variety of TMH—education, managing psychotrauma in regions of violent upheavals, and the provision of other TMH services. Novel African telecommunications techniques and means of providing TMH, for example using broadcast media and diasporic mental healthcare personnel, are outlined. So, future African TMH will surely grow because of decreasing equipment costs, but principally because of proven effectiveness and the power of such interventions.

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