Citation

Eagle K, Davis T, Ellis A. Psychiatry Psychol. Law. 2020; 27(5): 853-864.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Law, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13218719.2020.1749957

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 (NSW) was amended in 2013 to include section 54 A, enabling an application to be made for the extension of a forensic patient's status. Thirteen patients were subject to an extension order between 2014 and 30 June 2018. Shared characteristics of these forensic patients were considered with a view to identifying the types of patients involved in these applications and the gaps in service provision that this might reflect. Nine out of the 13 patients subject to an extension order had a background of sexual offences, and all patients had either an intellectual disability and/or complex comorbid disorders, such as severe personality disorder. The extension orders coincide with gaps in the service provision in relation to the management of certain complex mental disorders, intellectual disability and problematic behaviours that lead to justice system involvement. The authors discuss the potential implications that these findings have for future resource allocation, legislative reform and service provision. © 2020 The Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.

Language: en

Keywords

crime; adult; human; female; male; aged; schizophrenia; psychosis; suicide attempt; personality; dual diagnosis; intellectual disability; personality disorder; clinical article; cognitive defect; health care facility; sexual crime; freedom; offender; cerebrovascular accident; health promotion; health care personnel; resource allocation; hospital discharge; risk management; patent; criminal justice; detention; intellectual impairment; Article; forensic patients; thematic analysis; problem behavior; application service provider; criminalistics; correctional facility; Complex mental disorders; fitness for trial; forensic services; limiting terms; preventative detention