NCJ Number
191916
Journal
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: 2001 Pages: 86-93
Date Published
2001
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper reports on a study that compared female and male patient cohorts detained under conditions of special security (high and medium) in a high-security psychiatric facility in Scotland (State Hospital Carstairs)
Abstract
The study compared the female (n=28) and male (n=213) patients resident in the psychiatric facility between 1992 and 1993, using data obtained from case-note reviews and interviews with patients and staff. Nearly three-quarters of both the male and female populations had a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, and secondary diagnoses of substance abuse and antisocial personality disorder were common. Female patients were more frequently admitted from other psychiatric hospitals, had less serious index offenses, and more minor previous convictions; they were also less likely to be subject to a restriction order. Further, the females had more often experienced depressive symptoms and had significantly greater histories of self-harm as well as physical and sexual abuse. At the time of the interview, nearly three-fourths of the women had active delusions, and over half had recently behaved in an aggressive manner. Almost 90 percent were reported not to require the security of the State Hospital. The study concluded that mental illness and adverse social circumstances had combined to create a disadvantaged group of women in high-security psychiatric care in Scotland. As a group, these women were inappropriately placed; they required intensive rather than high-security psychiatric care. 2 tables and 23 references