There appears to be a particularly vulnerable sub-group of women with severe mood disorders, a history of serious suicide attempts and young children at risk of harming those children. Our sample was small and from a single unit so, given the potential importance of improving understanding of who is at risk in such circumstances, extending our study nationally seems indicated.
BackgroundIn Japan, the legislation directing treatment of offenders with psychiatric disorders was enacted in 2005. Neuropsychological impairment is highly related to functional outcomes in patients with psychiatric disorders, and several studies have suggested an association between neuropsychological impairment and violent behaviors. However, there have been no studies of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients covered by the Japanese legislation. This study is designed to examine the neuropsychological characteristics of forensic patients in comparison to healthy controls and to assess the relationship between neuropsychological impairment and violence risk.MethodsSeventy-one forensic patients with psychiatric disorders and 54 healthy controls (matched by age, gender, and education) were enrolled. The CogState Battery (CSB) consisting of eight cognitive domains, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to test emotion-based decision making, and psychological measures of violence risk including psychopathy were used.ResultsForensic patients exhibited poorer performances on all CSB subtests and the IGT than controls. For each group, partial correlational analyses indicated that poor IGT performance was related to psychopathy, especially antisocial behavior. In forensic patients, the CSB composite score was associated with risk factors for future violent behavior, including stress and noncompliance with remediation attempts.ConclusionForensic patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit a wide range of neuropsychological impairments, and these findings suggest that neuropsychological impairment may increase the risk of violent behavior. Therefore, the treatment of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients with psychiatric disorders is necessary to improve functional outcomes as well as to prevent violence.
Our results are consistent with studies previously conducted in Western countries. This suggests that the HCR-20 is an effective tool for supporting risk of violence assessment in Japanese forensic psychiatric wards. Its widespread use in clinical practice could enhance safety and would certainly promote transparency in risk-related decision-making. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
BackgroundIn Japan, hospitalization for the assessment of mentally disordered offenders under the Act on Medical Care and Treatment for the Persons Who Had Caused Serious Cases under the Condition of Insanity (the Medical Treatment and Supervision Act, or the MTS Act) has yet to be standardized.MethodsWe conducted a written survey that included a questionnaire regarding hospitalization for assessment; the questionnaire consisted of 335 options with 9 grades of validity for 60 clinical situations. The survey was mailed to 50 Japanese forensic mental health experts, and 42 responses were received.ResultsAn expert consensus was established for 299 of the options. Regarding subjects requiring hospitalization for assessment, no consensus was reached on the indications for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or for confronting the offenders regarding their offensive behaviors.ConclusionsThe consensus regarding hospitalization for assessment and its associated problems were clarified. The consensus should be widely publicized among practitioners to ensure better management during the hospitalization of mentally disordered offenders for assessment.
Background Current Japanese forensic mental health legislation (Medical Treatment and Supervision Act [MTSA]) was enacted in 2003. Little is known, however, about the actual outcomes for the offender patients detained within hospitals under this provision. Aim This study aimed to quantify reoffending and readmission following patients' discharge from forensic psychiatric hospital units across Japan and explore related risk factors. Methods We followed up 526 offenders with mental disorder who had been detained under the MTSA and who were subsequently discharged from any of the 28 hospitals nationwide between 2007 and 2015. Results The total cumulative reoffence rate was found to be 2.5% (1.1–3.9%) after 1 year and 7.5% (4.6–10.4%) after 3 years. The rate of serious reoffending was 0.4% (−0.18% to 0.99%) after 1 year and 2.0% (0.4–3.6%) after 3 years. The cumulative admission rate to local psychiatric hospitals following a discharge was 21.8% after 6 months and 37.6% after 1 year. Patients who had been discharged from their MTSA order but transferred to a general psychiatric hospital before open community residence—because it was necessary to build community supports—were more likely to reoffend than those discharged directly to the community. Patients who had been diagnosed with a substance use disorder (F10–F19) and had one subsequent admission were at higher risk of further readmissions. Conclusions The low reoffending rates could be attributed to the intensive treatment and care plans required by the MTSA. The high rate of readmission to psychiatric hospitals may indicate shortcomings in community mental health services in Japan.
PurposeEmployment is important for forensic psychiatric patients with psychotic disorders, in terms of reduction in symptoms, improving the quality of life, and preventing re-offenses. However, few detailed studies on employment status in such patients exist. We aimed to determine the employment rate among forensic psychiatric outpatients with psychotic disorders and identify the factors associated with employment.Patients and methodsThe study population comprised 406 patients with psychotic disorders who completed a forensic outpatient treatment order, were aged <65 years at discharge from a forensic psychiatric ward and provided written informed consent. Psychotic disorders were defined as psychiatric disorders classified into F2 in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition. Demographic data were collected from the medical records of the inpatient treatment period. Prognostic data during the outpatient treatment order period was provided by the reintegration coordinators responsible for coordinating the patients’ social environment during this period. Exploratory univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses identified the factors associated with employment.ResultsThe mean age at discharge was 44.4±10.8 years. The mean follow-up period was 2.69±1.01 years. There were 4.6 times more men (n=334) than women (n=72). During the outpatient treatment order period, 56 of 406 participants achieved employment (13.8%). Participants who committed serious crime, including homicide, arson, robbery, and sexual assault, had a lower employment rate compared to participants who committed bodily injury crimes (multivariable odds ratio, 0.421; 95% confidence interval, 0.220–0.807). History of substance use and living with family after discharge from a forensic psychiatric ward positively contributed to employment.ConclusionThe employment rate among forensic psychiatric outpatients with psychotic disorders was low and was similar to that reported in previous studies on general psychiatric patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, serious criminal behavior negatively impacted employment.
AIMTo evaluate the effect of educational intervention on individuals’ knowledge of and attitudes toward forensic mental health.METHODSWe conducted a questionnaire regarding attitudes toward various ideas about forensic mental health. The respondents attended a 1-h seminar regarding forensic mental health after answering the questionnaire. On completion of the seminar, the respondents answered another questionnaire containing many of the same questions as contained in the pre-seminar questionnaire.RESULTSA total of 86 individuals attended the seminar, and 78 responded to the questionnaire. Only 13 (18.8%) participants were supportive of the concept of criminal responsibility initially, and there was a statistically significant increase in those who became more supportive after the seminar, with 22 (33%) being supportive after the seminar (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that participants who were skeptical about forensic mental systems and those with fewer opportunities to see media reports regarding psychiatry were likely to become supportive of criminal responsibility after the intervention.CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that public attitudes toward criminal responsibility and mental health can be influenced via educational interventions.
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