title: [Socio-demographic, clinical and criminological features of a population discharged from forensic hospital and admitted to neuropsychiatric clinic, in scheme of restriction of freedom].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over the past twenty years, in Italy there has been an intense debate that has focused on the function, and overcoming the limits of the institution Judicial Psychiatric Hospital (ospedale psichiatrico giudiziario - OPG). Although the contribution of legislative proposals, conferences and workshops on the OPG subject has received significant, the interest focused on the development and elaboration of criminological and epidemiological research on a national scale has been proportionately less impetum. In this study a survey aimed to explore the socio-demographic, clinical and criminological features of patients discharged from the OPG and admitted to neuropsychiatric clinic, under the restriction of freedom, has been performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The information was gathered at the time of entry in the clinical management, by means of the first clinical interview and during subsequent interviews. During hospitalization, patients were administered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and K Axis (Axis V of Kennedy) questionaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  23 patients from forensic hospitals of Aversa, Secondigliano and Castiglione delle Stiviere were included in the study. The main characteristics investigated delineate a profile of an individual with an average age of about 49 years, unmarried, from a low socio-economic context, unemployed at the time of internment. About the diagnosis, schizophrenic spectrum disorders prevail, there is history of substance abuse in 35% of cases, history of previous admission to psychiatric facilities in 87% of these subjects. The type of committed crimes regards crimes against the person. About 40% of individuals have exhausted the danger to society correlate at the time of admission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the small sample size, the data from this study are consistent with those reported in few studies in the literature. The specificity of clinical care needs of mentally ill offenders requires greater definition that could be achieved through the development of this research area.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasia
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cataldo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colletti
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Falco
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Centracchio
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Del Nero
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bersani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057237:Criminals / Q000193:education / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe; D005610:Freedom; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006782:Hospitals, Special / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007298:Insanity Defense; D007558:Italy; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011330:Prisons / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000067250:Psychiatric Rehabilitation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult