Contact with mental health services in the 12-month period before offending in a cohort of forensic order patients.

There has been limited research examining the details of mental health service contact in the pre-offending period. A retrospective case-note study of the complete cohort of people found not criminally responsible or permanently unfit for trial in Queensland, Australia, was conducted. An electronic clinical database search for seven treatment event types in the 12-months pre-offence was conducted.

Treating the untreatable? The biopsychosocial treatment of delusional disorder: a case study.

Objective: Delusional disorder (DD) is well recognised, but its treatment is controversial. This article presents a case study that highlights the therapeutic benefits associated with assertive biopsychosocial treatment of DD.

Method: The literature on pharmacological and psychological treatments for DD is briefly reviewed, and a case example from the Queensland Fixated Threat Assessment Centre is given to illustrate a comprehensive biopsychosocial treatment framework.

Unauthorised absences from leave from an Australian security hospital.

Objective: To consider incidents relating to absences without permission from authorised leave from a security hospital.

Method: A retrospective audit over a 10-year period of all critical incidents relating to leave from the High Security Inpatient Services, Brisbane, Australia.

Results: There has been a low incidence of patients absenting themselves without permission from leave.

Characteristics of mentally disordered offenders referred for low secure forensic rehabilitation.

In the light of recognition of an increased need for secure mental health provision both at a local and national level, a 12-bed low secure forensic rehabilitation unit, Hillis Lodge, was opened in Birmingham in 2001. The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics of patients referred to this service. A retrospective case note survey was undertaken of all referrals to Hillis Lodge between August 2000 and April 2004.