Psychiatric probation orders: failed provision or future panacea?
The psychiatric probation order has been a sentencing option for the courts for over fifty years. Many authors have lamented its underuse and described the inability of psychiatric and probation services to work together in a collaborative and effective way. The aim of this study was to describe probationers who had passed through Elliott House, a specialist bail and probation hostel for mentally disordered offenders. A retrospective case note review of all individuals who have been resident at Elliott House as a condition of a probation order was conducted. The individuals were mostly young, single men with a severe mental illness and comorbid substance misuse. As a group their previous contact with psychiatric services was irregular. A probation order at Elliott House appeared to provide social support and stability along with a period of regular psychiatric treatment and follow-up. The results suggest that psychiatric probation orders, if properly managed, can be a useful tool for both health and probation services in the short term.
Clark
Tom
T
Reaside Clinic, Rubery, Birmingham.
Kenney-Herbert
Jeremy
J
Baker
Jeffrey
J
Humphreys
Martin
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006208:Halfway Houses / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D006113:United Kingdom