[On the outcome of the treatment of mentally disordered criminal offenders (according to section 64 German Penal Code) suffering from addictive disorders].
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview on the increase of forensic psychiatric hospitalizations in Saxony, and present findings on criminal conviction and recidivism rates of 277 criminal offenders ordered to a forensic psychiatric facility caring for addictive disorders between 1996 and 2001.


METHODS
Cluster- and regression-analytic procedures identified predictive variables for declaring the forensic psychiatric hospitalization as useless, and for relevant criminal offences after discharge.


RESULTS
About 85 % of the study sample showed more than four offences and more than 1.5 years of imprisonment before admission to the index-treatment episode. About half of the patients was successfully treated as indicated by being released on licence. Socialization in institutions, social disintegration before admission, and absconding during the index-treatment episode are important factors increasing the probability of declaring the hospitalization as useless. In the 2-year observation period, the criminal recidivism rate was 40.0 %.


CONCLUSIONS
Social reintegration of this group of mentally disordered criminal offenders is as difficult as important. Findings on recidivism rates indicate a need for extending the number of specialized forensic outpatient departments and a need to focus on primary prevention.
Gericke
Bjørn
B
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus an der Technischen Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden. bjoern.gericke@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
Kallert
Thomas W
TW
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012951:Socialization; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D013287:Illicit Drugs