NCJ Number
103971
Journal
International Journal of Law and Psychiatry Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (1986) Pages: 189-202
Date Published
1986
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The police records of 123 people acquitted for insanity and discharged from all supervision by the Oregon Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) between 1978 and 1980 formed the basis of an assessment of PSRB decisionmaking and of the characteristics and recidivism patterns of these offenders.
Abstract
Data were gathered in February 1982 from local, State, and national computerized information systems. Police data on another 21 PSRB clients had not been entered in the systems, indicating underreporting of police contacts. The 109 men and 14 women included 39 people found not guilty by reason of insanity before the PSRB began operating in January 1978 and 84 people placed directly under PSRB jurisdiction after the beginning of 1978. The analysis considered police contacts before, during, and after PSRB supervision and the accuracy of PSRB discharge decisions. PSRB provided closer supervision than the previous system. The subjects averaged 7 police contacts each before PSRB placement, 0.6 during PSRB placement, and 1.4 after discharge. Arrest rates showed a similar pattern. PSRB tended to discharge those with fewer arrests. However, PSRB decisions to discharge did not predict decreased future police contacts. Younger age was associated with subsequent arrests. Tables and 20 references.