Different understandings of risk within a forensic mental health care unit: a cultural approach

Godin, Paul; Davies, Jacqueline; Heyman, Bob; Shaw, Monica

doi:10.1007/978-0-230-20900-8_5

Cited by 2 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…This research has shown that when presented with a risk screen, service users were more likely than professionals to identify a wider range of risks stressing their vulnerability rather than their danger to others. This is in line with previous mental health research which has noted that whilst service users may share professional perspectives of risk, they are more likely to identify risks from treatments (such as side effects from medications) (Manthorpe and Alaszewski, 2000;Godin et al, 2006).…”

supporting

confidence: 86%

“…However, a lack of involvement at the initial stages of assessment did limit tparticipants opportunities to define risks in their own terms or even to indicate where their concerns lay. As with mentally disordered offenders in other studies (Godin et al, 2006;Godin et al, 2007;Davies et al, 2008), research participants believed that staff concerns focussed around issues of treatment compliance. Risk assessments were seen as a means of systemising these concerns.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Research by Godin et al (2006) noted that nurses and nursing assistants tended to be more restricted than other groups by risk protocols which sometimes required them to act in a manner that they found counter-intuitive. In addition to this different professional groups may be constrained by their own identities and regulatory structures (Luhmann, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Service user views of risk are under-researched and under-theorised (Sullivan, 2005;Davies et al, 2008). Research indicates that service users do use the concept of risk to understand their situation, but that they hold different concerns to those of their care staff (Manthorpe and Alaszewski, 2000;Godin et al, 2006). Specifically, Service users held within forensic hospitals were concerned about violence from other in-patients, risks of institutionalisation, loss of family contact and detrimental effects from prescribed medications (Godin et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research indicates that service users do use the concept of risk to understand their situation, but that they hold different concerns to those of their care staff (Manthorpe and Alaszewski, 2000;Godin et al, 2006). Specifically, Service users held within forensic hospitals were concerned about violence from other in-patients, risks of institutionalisation, loss of family contact and detrimental effects from prescribed medications (Godin et al, 2006). Service users are acutely aware that their behaviour are regularly monitored and reported upon by staff and 5 that these judgements then form the basis of discharge decisions (Godin et al, 2007;Davies et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mentally disordered offenders' views of ‘their’ risk assessment and management plans

Dixon

2012

Health, Risk & Society

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In Britain there has been an increased emphasis on the use of risk assessments in mental health services over the past twenty years. Mentally disordered offenders subject to Section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (England and Wales), are defined as posing a serious risk of harm to others. They are thus dealt with by forensic mental health services, which are often seen as specialists in risk assessments. This paper is based on original research in three mental health trusts in the South of England which was carried out between March 2009 and September 2011. The paper examines mentally disordered offenders' awareness and attitude to formal risk assessments in relation to theories of governmentality. Service users, subject to Section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 were aware that their level of risk was being assessed by professionals caring for them but were commonly unaware of the content of these assessments. These risk assessments were viewed by participants as a means through which professionals measured and monitored behaviour. Although participants often referred to levels of risk they did not view risk screening schedules as objective, but rather emphasised the need to persuade staff that their risk had reduced. Despite showing a limited awareness of the content of these risk assessments, participants generally identified more risks, in relation to their vulnerability, than did the professional assessments. However, participants generally identified fewer risks in relation to the dangers they posed to others than did professional staff.

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supporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Mentally disordered offenders' views of ‘their’ risk assessment and management plans

Dixon

2012

Health, Risk & Society

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Assessing the probability of patients reoffending after discharge from low to medium secure forensic mental health services: An inductive prevention paradox

Heyman

Godin

Reynolds

et al. 2013

Health, Risk & Society

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Citizens of developed societies are troubled by those who commit 'irrational' crimes against the person. Reoffending after release from secure mental health services triggers particularly intense angst when amplified by media and political scrutiny. However, forensic mental health service providers making discharge decisions are required to predict the probability of patients reoffending after discharge by observing behaviour in secure institutional settings designed specifically to prevent such transgressions from occurring. This paper will explore this 'inductive prevention paradox' by drawing on data drawn from qualitative studies undertaken in two medium to low secure UK institutions, one providing forensic mental health and the other forensic learning disability services. The views of 56 staff members and 21 patients about risk management in forensic services were explored, and an additional 25 staff interviews were undertaken for case studies of these patients. Data analysis focussed on patient and staff responses to the inductive prevention paradox with respect to a highly sensitive issue. The wider applicability of this framework will be considered in the Discussion. It will be argued that the prognostic limitations arising from the inductive prevention paradox have been underestimated by policy-makers and in official inquiries; and that the prevailing personal risk assessment framework needs to be complemented by greater attention to the environments which patients will be discharged into.2

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Different understandings of risk within a forensic mental health care unit: a cultural approach

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Mentally disordered offenders' views of ‘their’ risk assessment and management plans

Mentally disordered offenders' views of ‘their’ risk assessment and management plans

Assessing the probability of patients reoffending after discharge from low to medium secure forensic mental health services: An inductive prevention paradox

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