Citation

Vaughan PJ, Pullen N, Kelly M. J. Forensic Psychiatry 2000; 11(3): 571-586.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/09585180010004829

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Community teams in Wessex were surveyed to determine their capacity to support mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) in the community. All teams experienced difficulties in supporting MDOs. Proficiency levels of key workers did not match the demands of this group. Furthermore, the compartmentalized nature of services led to appropriate expertise being denied to MDOs. Learning disability teams had problems of discriminating between health and social care. They had the highest levels of MDOs on their case-loads and their clients posed the greatest challenge in terms of violence, self-harm and sexual offences. Drugs and alcohol were highly implicated in the behaviour of all client groups except those with learning disabilities. The number of clients subject to 'formal' psychiatric supervision was low, and day services and suitable accommodation were common service deficiencies. Services should adopt a more co-operative style of working with improved communication between secure institutions and community teams. Additionally, community teams could be supplemented and supported by district forensic community teams, to maintain MDOs in mainstream services.

Language: en

Keywords

alcoholism; article; Case-load characteristics; community mental health; Community teams; drug dependence; health survey; human; learning disorder; major clinical study; MDOs; medical staff; mental disease; mental health service; offender; priority journal; sexual crime; social care; suicide; support group; United Kingdom; violence