A follow-up of mentally disordered offenders – recidivism and mortality

The major policies and practices with regard to the civil and criminal commitment of the mentally ill in the Scandinavian countries during the 1970s and 1980s are described and discussed. Deinstitutionalization, community work, and outpatient treatment within geographically defined sectors have been introduced in all the Nordic countries. At the same time, criminally committed mental patients constitute an increasing proportion of the involuntarily hospitalized population. The special defense of insanity and tests such as McNaughtan are not used in the Scandinavian countries. The handling and disposition of severely mentally ill criminal defendants is closer to the notions of guilty but mentally ill in some U.S. jurisdictions, although in Scandinavia such persons are hospitalized and do not receive penal sentences. Even though forensic psychiatry has come under much criticism, there is still a need for psychiatric evaluations for courts and there is still a need for the provision of mental health treatment, rehabilitation, and follow-up for mentally disordered offenders.

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Mortality among mentally disordered offenders: a community based follow-up study

Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health ◽

10.1002/cbm.41 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 93-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Tabita Björk ◽

Per Lindqvist

Keyword(s):

Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽

Community Based ◽

Mentally Disordered ◽

Follow Up Study

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Quality of Life and Psychological Well-Being of Mentally Disordered Offenders after Court Diversion: A 6-Month Follow-Up

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology ◽

10.1177/0306624x9804200208 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 164-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Man Cheung Chung ◽

Stuart Cumella ◽

James Wensley ◽

Yvette Easthope

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Mentally Disordered ◽

Court Diversion

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Mentally disordered offenders in Sweden: differentiating recidivists from non-recidivists in a 10-year follow-up study

Nordic Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1080/08039488.2016.1236400 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 71 (2) ◽

pp. 102-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hedvig Krona ◽

Marielle Nyman ◽

Helena Andreasson ◽

Nicolas Vicencio ◽

Henrik Anckarsäter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽

Mentally Disordered ◽

Follow Up Study

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“A new horizon?”: evaluation of an integrated Substance Use Treatment Programme (SUTP) for mentally disordered offenders

Advances in Dual Diagnosis ◽

10.1108/add-03-2015-0002 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 90-101 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Helen Miles

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Substance Use Treatment ◽

Treatment Programme ◽

Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽

Male And Female ◽

Content Type ◽

Mentally Disordered ◽

Significant Difference ◽

One Year

Purpose – The treatment of substance use amongst mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) remains a challenge for secure forensic mental health services. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated three-stage substance use treatment programme (SUTP) for male and female MDO’s in medium security. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 45 (72.6 per cent) MDO’s were referred (39 males/6 females). Standardised outcome measures were administered pre-SUTP, post-SUTP and at one year follow-up. Abstinence rates and location was determined via case notes at three year follow-up. Findings – All MDO’s had a past history of substance use, approximately three-quarters reporting problematic use prior to admission. Over half completed all three SUTP stages, less than 5 per cent dropping out during active treatment. The SUTP supported abstinence throughout the one year follow-up period and significantly improved MDO’s adaptive beliefs about substances and craving by one year follow-up amongst attendees. At three years, most MDO’s were in the community and almost three-quarters were abstinent. There was no significant difference in abstinent rates between community and hospital. There was a non-significant trend suggesting SUTP attendance supported abstinence. Both male and female participants appear to have benefited from treatment and satisfaction was high, reflecting the specific aims and objectives of treatment. Research limitations/implications – The small non-randomised sample from one area limits the generalisability of findings and statistical power. Originality/value – Findings indicate further support for the limited evidence base that small but clinically meaningful and maintained changes to problematic substance use are possible following integrated substance use treatment for male and female MDO’s.

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The Reconvictions of Mentally Disordered Offenders - How, When, and Where?

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1063310/v1 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Ebba Noland ◽

Mattias Strandh ◽

Fia Klötz Logan

Keyword(s):

Violent Crime ◽

Psychiatric Care ◽

Criminal Court ◽

Public Place ◽

Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽

Violent Crimes ◽

Mentally Disordered ◽

Forensic Psychiatric ◽

Descriptive Statistical Analysis

Abstract Background Little is known about the recidivism of mentally disordered offenders after discharge from forensic psychiatric services. This is problematic because such knowledge could (i) help professionals who come into contact with this group to better plan interventions to prevent recidivism and (ii) clarify the effectiveness of forensic psychiatric care. The aim of this study was to investigate the new crimes of mentally disordered offenders who had been reconvicted after discharge from forensic psychiatric care. Methods Included in this study were all individuals who had been discharged from forensic psychiatric care in Sweden during 2009-2018, were included in the Swedish National Forensic Psychiatric Register, and had been reconvicted in a criminal court within the follow-up period of 2009-2018 (n=157). Retrospective registry data along with coded data from criminal judgments (n=210) were used to create a database. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results 75% of included individuals were reconvicted for at least one violent crime, but only 9 individuals were reconvicted for a serious violent crime, which can be compared to the 44 individuals with serious violent index crimes. The most common crime was “Other violent”. The most common sentence was probation. The offender’s most common relationship to the victim was having no known relationship, followed by the victim being a person of authority. The most common circumstance of the crime leading to the reconviction was that it occurred without apparent provocation; other common circumstances were related to the exercise of public authority. The most common crime scene was a public place. Conclusions Even though the reconvictions of this group included many violent crimes, there were very few serious violent crimes. The finding that the victims of the crimes of mentally disordered offenders are most commonly either unknown to the perpetrator or persons of authority, and that the crimes are often perpetrated without apparent provocation or reason, is important information for all professionals who come into contact with this group and should be taken into consideration in order to assess risk more accurately.

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