NCJ Number
184750
Journal
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: 2000 Pages: 88-99
Date Published
2000
Length
12 pages
Annotation
An exploratory study examined the effect of discharge destination on reconviction over a 9-year period in a group of offenders with personality disordered who were discharged from a high-security hospital in England.
Abstract
The participants all had mental disorders. They included 34 men and 6 women discharged to the community as well as 22 men and 5 women discharged to another psychiatric hospital. The data analysis excluded the 17 individuals for whom either reconviction or follow-up data were unavailable. Follow-up data on reconviction or or placements. The research controlled for the time spent at risk in the community. The individuals discharged to the community spent significantly more time at risk in the community during the follow-up period. However, they were no more likely to be reconvicted than were those discharged via a less secure hospital. One possible explanation for these results is that less secure hospital units are not specifically equipped to treat people with personality disorders. Alternatively, clinicians may be correctly identifying individuals who are at greater risk of reoffending and thus recommending a more staged rehabilitation back to the community. Little official data is available about placements following absolute discharge. Tables and 10 references (Author abstract modified)