Route of discharge for special (high-security) hospital patients with personality disorder

Abstract

BackgroundA considerable proportion of patients with personality disorder are discharged directly to the community from special (high-security) hospitals.AimsTo examine whether patients with personality disorder discharged directly to the community are more likely to be re-convicted than those transferred to psychiatric hospitals of lesser security.MethodRe-conviction data for a f ive-to nine-year follow-up were collected for a four-year (1988–1991) special hospital discharge cohort of patients with personality disorder.ResultsIndividuals discharged directly to the community were not significantly more likely to be re-convicted than those transferred to less secure psychiatric hospitals. However, patients discharged to the community without formal conditions of supervision were more likely to be re-convicted than those discharged to the community with conditions or those transferred to other psychiatric hospitals.ConclusionsFormal supervision after discharge may be more important than actual destination in influencing the likelihood of re-conviction.