BackgroundAssessing those with personality disorder for treatment in secure settings is known to be unsatisfactory.AimTo examine the utility of a standardised assessment of offenders with personality disorder referred for treatment in secure care in a naturalistic study.MethodA consecutive series of 89 men were assessed with a battery of four recommended instruments measuring personality and risk. Decisions on whether or not to admit were based on a multidisciplinary discussion informed by these assessments.ResultsOf the 89 comprehensively assessed referrals, 60 (67%) were offered admission. High scores on the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (especially on Factor 1) was the only measure that was associated with rejection. Of 44 patients discharged, 29 (66%) failed to complete treatment; none of the pre-admission assessments distinguished ‘completers' from ‘non-completers'. Although skills were acquired on the unit, follow-up of 24 men in the community showed that this had only a marginal effect on re-offending rate (58%).ConclusionsCurrent recommended assessment methods appear unsatisfactory in identifying those who either (a) complete treatment or (b) benefit from treatment. Our results throw doubt on their value.

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SummaryIn 2003 the Department of Health, in conjunction with the National Institute for Mental Health in England, outlined the government's plan for the provision of mental health services for people with a diagnosis of personality disorder. This emphasised the need for practitioners to have skills in identifying, assessing and treating these disorders. It is important that personality disorders are properly assessed as they are common conditions that have a significant impact on an individual's functioning in all areas of life. Individuals with personality disorder are more vulnerable to other psychiatric disorders, and personality disorders can complicate recovery from severe mental illness. This article reviews the classification of personality disorder and some common assessment instruments. It also offers a structure for the assessment of personality disorder.

The aim of this investigation was to define more clearly specific forensic-psychiatric characteristics of female murder or attempted murder perpetrators. The retrospective method applied was based on the comparison of the data from forensic-psychiatric assessments carried out in the Center for Forensic Psychiatry, Psychiatric Hospital Vrapee, Zagreb, from 1983 to 1997 (including 70 female and 70 male subjects-who committed murder or attempted murder). Compared with men, female offenders were most often in some way emotionally related to their victims, and they were more often victimized themselves before committing the crime. ln men alcoholism was a more significant circumstantial factor in the assessment of their accountability. Psychiatric security measures were more often given to male offenders. The intensity of aggression was lower in females than in males. This investigation reveals that there are some sex specific forensic-psychiatric traits of murder or attempted murder perpetrators. The obtained results could be of help in everyday forensic-psychiatric practice, both in assessments and treatment. Background: Tbe crime rate among people with schizophrenia is known to exceed the crime rate in the general population. Objective: To analyse the temporal relationship between the first committed (violent and non-violent) crime and the first contact to the psychiatric hospital system and when the diagnosis of schizophrenia is ftrst given. Method: A register based study linking The National Crime Register and The Psychiatric Central Research Register. Results: A substantial part of especially the schizophrenic men commit their first crime before the f&t contact to the psychiatric hospital system. Conclusion: A higher degree of cooperation and coordiantion between the judicial and the psychiatric system is needed to assess these individuals properly.