title: Gender differences in reoffending after discharge from medium-secure units. National cohort study in England and Wales.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous research has shown that there are gender differences in reoffending after discharge from medium-secure units, but these have not been adequately explained.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate gender differences in reoffending after discharge from medium-secure psychiatric units.
  
  
  METHODS
  All people discharged from medium-secure units in England and Wales between April 1997 and March 1998 were followed up for 1 year (n=959; 12% women). Reoffending was estimated by collecting reconviction data from the Home Office's Offenders' Index or from files at the mental health unit up to 2 years after discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women were less likely than men to be reconvicted within 2 years of discharge (9% v. 16%, OR=0.49, 95% CI 0.25-0.98). Adjustments for history of self-harm, drug or alcohol problems and previous offending substantially reduced the gender difference. In the full model the OR was 0.97 (95% CI 0.45-2.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some or all of the gender differences in reoffending between men and women are explained by self-harm, alcohol and drug problems and previous criminal history.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK. a.maden@ic.ac.uk
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maden
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skapinakis
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jamieson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D003415:Crime; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011330:Prisons; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology