The full spectrum of clinical stages of psychosis at prison entry: prevalence and concurrent validity of symptom screening.

Purpose: Despite the high rates of psychotic disorders amongst people in prison, current prison mental health screening approaches have not included assessment of the full psychosis spectrum to capture those at-risk of an emerging psychosis as well as those with established illness nor assessed the concurrent validity of psychosis symptom screening.

Methods: Using a clinical staging approach to establish the prevalence of Ultra High Risk (UHR), first episode of psychosis (FEP) and established psychosis (EP) groups, 291 adults entering custody in two prison reception centres in NSW completed a two-stage (screening and validation) interview process. The Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) was used to determine the clinical stages of psychosis and concurrent validity of symptom screening in identifying individuals on the psychosis spectrum was formally assessed.

A Systematic Review of Interpersonal Violence Perpetration and Victimization Risk Examined Within Single Study Cohorts, Including in Relation to Mental Illness.

Rates of both violent victimization and violence perpetration are known to be elevated among individuals with mental illness compared with those in the general population, though the relative risk of each outcome is less well established. In this systematic review, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Criminal Justice Abstracts were searched for articles published any time before October 2021 that reported the prevalence or incidence of both violent victimization and perpetration. We performed two searches to identify studies using samples or cohorts of (1) persons with mental illnesses and (2) persons in the general population.

The full spectrum of clinical stages of psychosis among mentally ill prisoners in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Research on the association between psychosis and criminal offending has typically focused on violent offenders with chronic psychotic illness. This stages of psychosis in prison (SOPP) study used a clinical staging approach to identify adult men referred to prison mental health services who had an at-risk mental state (ARMS), first episode of psychosis (FEP) or an established psychotic illness. Of the 105 participants included, 6% were determined to have FEP, 6% met ARMS criteria and the remainder had an established psychotic illness.

A meta-analysis of the relationship between psychosis and any type of criminal offending, in both men and women.

Background: Psychosis is known to be associated with an increased risk of violent offending, but the risk of criminal offending of any type is not so well understood, including the nature and extent of any differences in offending risk for men and women with psychosis.

Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases from 1970 to March 2020 was conducted to identify studies comparing criminal offending amongst those with psychosis to a general population sample. A meta-analysis was performed, with separate analyses undertaken for men and women.

Outcome of serious violent offenders with psychotic illness and cognitive disorder dealt with by the New South Wales criminal justice system.

Background: The few studies of the recidivism by people with psychotic illness and cognitive disorder who are convicted of serious violent offences and sentenced by the courts.

Method: Re-imprisonment data were obtained for 661 individuals convicted of serious non-lethal violent offences in the District Courts of New South Wales in the years 2006 and 2007. Rates of re-imprisonment of offenders known to psychotic illness or cognitive disorder (intellectual disability or acquired brain injury) was compared to those not known to have those conditions.

Comparison of first-episode and previously treated persons with psychosis found NGMI for a violent offense.

Objective: Evidence has emerged of a higher risk of serious violence in first-episode psychosis. This study compared the characteristics of two groups of persons with psychosis found not guilty of violent offenses on the grounds of mental illness (NGMI): those who had not yet been treated and those who had previously received treatment.

Methods: Demographic, clinical, and offense data were taken from psychiatric reports and court documents for persons found NGMI of homicide, attempted homicide, and assaults causing serious injury in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Severe non-lethal violence during psychotic illness.

Background: Research about violence in psychosis has mainly considered homicide by people with mental disorder, especially schizophrenia, and violence in groups of psychiatric patients. In this study we examine the characteristics of a sample of offenders with psychotic illness who committed severe non-lethal violent offences.

Method: A review of court documents from a consecutive series of cases involving violence resulting in significant injury concluded in the District Court of New South Wales, Australia, in the years 2006 and 2007.