A comparison of Australian men with psychotic disorders remanded for criminal offences and a community group of psychotic men who have not offended

White, Paul, Chant, David and Whiteford, Harvey (2006) A comparison of Australian men with psychotic disorders remanded for criminal offences and a community group of psychotic men who have not offended. Australian And New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 40 3: 260-265.


Author White, Paul
Chant, David
Whiteford, Harvey
Title A comparison of Australian men with psychotic disorders remanded for criminal offences and a community group of psychotic men who have not offended
Journal name Australian And New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank B)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2006
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1080/j.1440-1614.2006.01783.x
Volume number 40
Issue number 3
ISSN 0004-8674
Start page 260
End page 265
Total pages 6
Editor P. Joyce
Place of publication Oxford
Publisher Blackwell Publishing
Language eng
Subject C1
321204 Mental Health
730211 Mental health
Abstract Background: People remanded into custody by the courts have a substantially higher rate of severe mental disorder than other prisoners and the general population. Knowledge of their prevalence, needs and characteristics and an analysis of pathways to care may be necessary to provide mental health care effectively and efficiently. Previous prison studies focusing on psychotic offenders have suffered from the use of instruments not validated in a forensic setting and lack of a relevant comparison group. Method: The Diagnostic Interview for Psychosis (DP) is a composite semi-structured standardized interview schedule. It combines social and demographic descriptors with measures of functioning adapted from the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS). The remand centre surveyed had 466 cells and is the main remand and reception centre for males for the southern region of the state of Queensland, Australia. Of the 621 men screened, 65 answered yes to at least one question in the DP and were interviewed. Results: Six hundred and twenty-one remandees were screened and of these 61 were interviewed as screened positive for psychotic disorder. Thirty-five per cent had been homeless for an average of 32 weeks during the previous year. Most had had little contact with families or close friends. Eighty-one per cent were receiving no treatment at the time of offence. Seventy-eight per cent were unemployed and in receipt of a pension. Eighty per cent were dependent on alcohol, cannabis or amphetamines. Statistical issues of power are detailed in the text. Conclusions: The simplistic 'prison, hospital or community treatment' debate is misleading. Instead, the development of flexible preventative, management and accommodation services for people with severe mental disorder who have committed offences is a priority.
Keyword Psychiatry
Criminal
Prison
Psychotic Disorders
Mentally-ill
Homelessness
Care
Q-Index Code C1

 
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