ABSTRACT
This study examines the influence of patient density (crowding) and number of potential perpetrators on the number of incidents of violence and self-harm at a medium secure unit. Of 2,053 incidents examined over a period of 974 days, 73% were perpetrated by 20% of the patients, the majority by patients identified as potential perpetrators. Increased patient density was not associated with increased risk of violence or self-harm. There was no evidence to suggest that the presence of those identified as potentially violent or self-harming increased the risk of others engaging in such behaviour.
Subject(s)
Crowding/psychology , Hospitals, Psychiatric , Prisoners/psychology , Self-Injurious Behavior/psychology , Violence/psychology , England , Humans , Regression AnalysisABSTRACT
Pseudologia fantastica and impostership are not currently included in diagnostic systems, although there is an overlap between these two syndromes and factitious disorder. A case which illustrates the overlap is described, and the diagnostic dilemma is discussed. A term 'deception syndrome' is proposed for those individuals who pathologically deceive for internal (i.e. psychological) as opposed to external reasons such as financial gain.
Subject(s)
Crime/psychology , Deception , Factitious Disorders/psychology , Forensic Psychiatry , Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Adult , England , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/psychology , SyndromeABSTRACT
AIMS: This study aims to examine the influence of ethnic origin on the range of diagnoses, past psychiatric and forensic contacts, and outcome of final court appearance in a random sample of men remanded in Brixton prison health care centre for a psychiatric assessment. METHOD: 277 men were randomly sampled from all men to HMP Brixton and referred to prison health care centres for a psychiatric assessment over a one year period. Men were interviewed immediately after remand to establish their socio-demographic profiles, their psychiatric diagnoses, alcohol and substance misuse histories, criminality, seriousness of index offence and violence involved in their index offence, past psychiatric and forensic contacts and outcome after court appearance. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, a greater percentage of black men who were remanded in custody had a diagnoses of schizophrenia. They were remanded despite more stable housing and fewer criminal convictions than the white group. Custodial remands could be avoided if community services (psychiatric diversion) were especially sensitive to the needs of black men with severe mental illness.(AU)
