title: Some problems in the hospital management of criminal mental patients.
abstract: In view of impending new legislation in Rhodesia, a survey of 256 criminal mental patients admitted to Ingutsheni Hospital was undertaken. These patients were all treated by the author and were admitted during the 5-year period 1 January 1970-31 December 1974. Among these patients there were 113 schizophrenics (44%) and 57 epileptics (22%); these proportions are not significantly different from those previously found among civil patients. The outcome was that 86 patients (33, 6%) were discharged to stand trial, 107 (41, 8%) were discharged in terms of a recommendation by the Mental Hospital Board and 57 (22, 3%) were returned to prison. Recommendations are made for the provision of a new forensic psychiatric unit, and some of its functions are discussed.
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D003415:Crime; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006757:Hospital Units; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011330:Prisons; D015030:Zimbabwe