Referrals to an out-patient forensic psychology service

1992 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 222-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Hambridge
Keyword(s):  
Community Care ◽  
Slow Growth ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Main Emphasis ◽  
Medium Security ◽  
Psychology Service ◽  
Patient Work ◽  
Forensic Psychiatric

Following the recommendations of the Butler Report (Home Office, 1975), there has been a slow growth in the number of Regional Secure Units (RSUs) (Snowden, 1985), which aim to assess and treat mentally disordered offenders in England and Wales in conditions of “medium security”. One particular recommendation of the Butler Report was that:“The main emphasis in forensic psychiatric services … should be on community care and out-patient work.” (paragraph 20.14)

scholarly journals Mildly mentally handicapped offenders: an alternative to custody

1993 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Johnson ◽  
Jeanette Smith ◽  
Geoff Stainer ◽  
Martin Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Penal System ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Mentally Handicapped ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Medium Security ◽  
Special Hospitals

Concern is increasingly being expressed about the lack of provision for mentally disordered offenders, who by default end up within the penal system. Gunn et al (1991) in a study of sentenced prisoners identified a significant number who were mentally disordered to be in need of psychiatric treatment. Among these, 0.4% were considered to be mentally handicapped. Recent reports have emphasised the importance of diverting these individuals from the criminal justice system (Woolf & Tumin, 1991; Home Office, 1990; British Medical Association, 1990). However, the majority of such offenders do not fulfil the criteria for admission to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983. Most are not overtly mentally ill and do not require treatment in conditions of medium security such as exist in regional secure units. However, it is not clear what provision there should be for such individuals. Smith (1988) described an open forensic unit for mildly mentally handicapped offenders (the Leander Unit). She concluded that there was a need for a specialised service to cater for these patients, who were neither appropriately nor adequately provided for by the general psychiatric services, the mentally handicapped services, regional secure units or special hospitals. Unfortunately, in practice there are very few facilities for this group of patients.

An Audit of Urgent Referrals by the Procurator Fiscal to the Tayside Forensic Psychiatric Service

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-316
Author(s):  
T White ◽  
H Rutherford
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Service ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Early Assessment ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Diagnostic Characteristics ◽  
Forensic Psychiatric ◽  
Over Time

This study describes the demographic, offence and diagnostic characteristics of subjects referred by the Procurators Fiscal operating from three courts in Tayside, Scotland. A comparison is made of referrals made between 1988 to 1995 and 1997 to 1998. There was an increased rate of referral on an urgent basis over time, primarily involving patients already in contact with the psychiatric services, 37% of whom were detained and admitted to hospital. This urgent assessment ensured that mentally-disordered offenders were not remanded in custody simply for the preparation of a report, and it allowed an early assessment to be made regarding the suitability for diversion from prosecution. This outcome is compatible with guidelines issued by the Home Office in 1990 (Home Office, 1990).

Is There a Need for Elderly Forensic Psychiatric Services?

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
I O Nnatu ◽  
F Mahomed ◽  
A Shah
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Old Age ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Court Diversion ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Old Age Psychiatry ◽  
Forensic Psychiatric ◽  
Developed Nations

The population of the elderly in most developed nations is on the increase. Furthermore, the prevalence of mental disorder amongst elderly offenders is high. The true extent of `elderly' crime is unknown because much of it goes undetected and unreported. This leads to a failure to detect mental illness in such offenders. Court diversion schemes may improve recognition of mental illness but these schemes usually tend to deal with the more severe crimes. This may result in an overestimation of the amount of serious crime committed by the elderly and a failure to detect mental illness amongst those who commit less serious crimes. Efforts to service this hidden morbidity call for multi-agency collaboration. Improved detection and reporting of crimes is essential if mental health difficulties in the elderly are not to go unnoticed. The needs of elderly mentally-disordered offenders are complex and fall within the expertise of old age and forensic psychiatry, without being adequately met by either one. Therefore, consideration should be given to the development of a tertiary specialist forensic old-age psychiatry service.

Community forensic psychiatric services in England and Wales

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 604-617
Author(s):  
Richard Latham ◽  
Hannah Kate Williams
Keyword(s):  
Research Evidence ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Forensic Psychiatric ◽  
Criminal Legislation ◽  
The 19Th Century

Forensic psychiatry is an established medical specialty in England and Wales. Although its origins lie in the 19th century, the development of secure hospitals accelerated in the late 20th century. Services for mentally disordered offenders in the community have developed most recently and it is these services, which are the focus of this article. We have looked broadly at community services and have included criminal justice liaison and diversion services in our remit. We have also considered partnerships between health and justice agencies as well as mental health and criminal legislation. We consider the limited research evidence in relation to community forensic services and the discussion this has provoked.

ETHICAL ISSUES IN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH ON MENTALLY DISORDERED OFFENDERS

Bioethics ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTIAN MUNTHE ◽  
SUSANNA RADOVIC ◽  
HENRIK ANCKARSÄTER
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Psychiatric Research ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Forensic Psychiatric

scholarly journals Invited commentary on The mental health of prisoners

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 200-201
Author(s):  
Tony Maden
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
The Government

Psychiatrists have always been concerned about the mental health of prisoners. If they did not devote much energy to their treatment, it was only because they had more-pressing problems, including how to squeeze ten patients into nine beds. In any case, it was someone else's job to look after prisoners. Luke Birmingham's article (Birmingham, 2003, this issue) could not be more timely, as this situation has now changed. With the publication of The Future Organisation of Prison Healthcare (Prison Service & NHS Executive Working Group, 1999), and the creation of a joint Department of Health and Home Office task force, the Government has made it clear that the problem of mentally disordered offenders belongs to the National Health Service (NHS). There is a plan, there is a partnership and there are targets. Can those of us who have been worrying about prisoners with mental illness sit back and relax, as the solution unfolds?

Mental Disorder amongst Defendants in Liverpool Magistrates' Court

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare J Brabbins ◽  
Raymond F Travers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
General Psychiatry ◽  
Police Policy ◽  
Offending Behaviour ◽  
Drug And Alcohol

The Home Office advocates development of court liaison schemes to divert mentally disordered offenders into the care of health and social services. No-one has yet evaluated the amount of mental disorder that existing schemes fail to identify. We interviewed 136 defendants who had been detained by the police prior to their first appearance in Liverpool Magistrates' Court for their current alleged offence. We found very little mental illness but high levels of drug and alcohol misuse. Merseyside police policy advocates diversion at the earliest possible point and local general psychiatry services are willing to assess and treat offenders. The defendants with drug and alcohol problems are, however, neglected by the current initiatives in providing for this group. Addressing this need in a population which might not otherwise come to the attention of services could have an impact on personal and public health as well as on offending behaviour.

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