title: [Abolition of the internment of convicted prisoners in Belgium: clinical implications].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  According to article 21 of the current Belgian law regarding the protection of society, the ministry of Justice can transfer a convicted prisoner to the Commission for the Protection of Society if that prisoner develops a severe mental illness in the course of a prison sentence. The proposed abolition of this article is raising concerns in psychiatric hospitals which are not equipped to deal with dangerous forensic patients.<br/>
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the profiles of convicted internees and to find out to what extent they differ from the profiles of regular internees.<br/>
  
  
  METHODS
  Convicted internees (n = 48) and regular internees (n = 483) treated in one of the Flemish medium security units were compared on the basis of demographic, clinical and risk factors.<br/>
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to regular internees, convicted internees suffered from more serious psychiatric problems and showed a more severe risk profile.<br/>
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The abolition of article 21 presents regular psychiatric hospitals with new challenges.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jeandarme
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pouls
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanoulle
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Oei
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bogaerts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors