Addressing Linguistic and Cultural Differences in the Forensic Interview [2018]
Given the increased cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic diversity of individuals undergoing legal proceedings, forensic mental health professionals around the world are often tasked with evaluating defendants who are drastically different from themselves. There appears to be a clear consensus that
Affective neuroscience: A primer with implications for forensic psychology – 2017-12-20
Emotions have important implications for many aspects of cognition and behaviour, including those that are of concern to forensic psychologists. This review article provides an overview of the emerging field of affective neuroscience – the scientific discipline that seeks to
Affective neuroscience: a primer with implications for forensic psychology – 2018
Emotions have important implications for many aspects of cognition and behaviour, including those that are of concern to forensic psychologists. This review article provides an overview of the emerging field of affective neuroscience – the scientific discipline that seeks to
Age onset of offending and serious mental illness among forensic psychiatric patients: A latent profile analysis – 2018
Background Developmental typologies regarding age of onset of violence and offending have not routinely taken account of the role of serious mental illness (SMI), and whether age of onset of offending in relation to onset of illness impacts on the
Age onset of offending and serious mental illness among forensic psychiatric patients: A latent profile analysis [2018]
Background Developmental typologies regarding age of onset of violence and offending have not routinely taken account of the role of serious mental illness (SMI), and whether age of onset of offending in relation to onset of illness impacts on the
Aggressive Behavior Among Persons With Schizophrenia and Those Who Are Developing Schizophrenia: Attempting to Understand the Limited Evidence on Causality [2017]
People with, and those who are developing, schizophrenia are at increased risk to engage in aggressive behavior (AGB). Some incidents lead to criminal prosecution. Most people with schizophrenia who commit crimes engage in delinquency and/or AGB prior to first episode.
An evaluation of a specialist firesetting treatment programme for male and female mentally disordered offenders (the FIP-MO) – 2017-12-28
Individuals who set deliberate fires are frequently encountered by clinicians working in forensic mental health services. However, little attention has been paid to developing standardised treatment for this behaviour, and few evaluations of treatment have been conducted in forensic mental
An evaluation of a specialist firesetting treatment programme for male and female mentally disordered offenders (the FIP‐MO) – 2017
Individuals who set deliberate fires are frequently encountered by clinicians working in forensic mental health services. However, little attention has been paid to developing standardised treatment for this behaviour, and few evaluations of treatment have been conducted in forensic mental
An evaluation of the effectiveness of positive behavioural support within a medium secure mental health forensic service – 2018
A number of recent influential reports recommend the use of proactive and preventative approaches such as Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) in the management of challenging behaviours. Although evidence supporting the use of PBS is mainly drawn from studies of learning
An Evolutionary Model to Conceptualize Psychopathic Traits Across Community and Forensic Male Youth [2019]
Psychopathy has been historically associated with a lack of emotion. However, some authors argue that psychopathy may represent a tendency to externalize the experience of unpleasant emotions, including shame, what could be seen as an adaptive strategy within an evolutionary
An Examination of PTSD and Criminal Responsibility among US Servicemembers [2019]
AbstractIntroductionThis retrospective study evaluated the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis among military servicemembers referred for Sanity Boards (n = 229), which is a military evaluation for competence to stand trial (CST) and criminal responsibility (CR). This study further
An Examination of Triarchic Psychopathy Constructs in Female Offenders [2018]
This study sought to expand scientific knowledge on psychopathic personality traits in female offenders by evaluating the relationship between MMPI–2–RF triarchic scales and self-reported external variables in a sample of 205 female offenders. Results indicated that boldness was inversely related
An exploration of perceived coercion into psychological assessment and treatment within a low secure forensic mental health service [2020]
Psychologists working within forensic mental health (FMH) services face challenges around supporting clients’ informed consent when engaging in psychological assessment and treatment. Given that there is little research in this area, this qualitative study interviewed ten forensic inpatients from a
An investigation of spitefulness in violent offenders: Associations with the dark triad and emotion dysregulation [2020]
BackgroundSpitefulness is the inclination to inflict harm to someone else even at one’s own expenses. The development of a self‐report measure (the Spitefulness Scale [SS]) has fostered the investigation of the relationships between spitefulness and aggression‐related variables. ObjectiveThe present study
Antisocial features are not predictive of symptom exaggeration in forensic patients – 2018
Purpose To investigate the predictive value of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and features of ASPD (i.e., lack of remorse, blame externalization, and deceitfulness) for symptom exaggeration. Methods A sample of forensic psychiatric patients (N = 57) was asked to complete
Assessing psychotic symptoms in forensic evaluations of criminal responsibility – a pilot study using Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale [2020]
Description of symptoms and signs related to psychotic disorders at the time of the crime is essential in forensic evaluations of legal insanity. Knowledge of the content of forensic reports is important to improve and secure their quality. Here we
Assessment of Risk for Seclusion Among Forensic Inpatients: Validation and Modification of the Risk of Administrative Segregation Tool (RAST) [2019]
Seclusion is used in psychiatric care to protect patients and staff or to manage aggression but may have adverse effects. The ability to identify at-risk patients could help reduce seclusion. This study tested the Risk of Administrative Segregation Tool’s (RAST)
Associations Between Neurocognitive Characteristics, Treatment Outcome, and Dropout Among Aggressive Forensic Psychiatric Outpatients – 2018-01-01
Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression and is considered to be effective although there are also inconsistent results. Studies investigating the effectiveness of ART do not focus on neurocognitive characteristics. Focusing on these aspects would result
Associations Between Neurocognitive Characteristics, Treatment Outcome, and Dropout Among Aggressive Forensic Psychiatric Outpatients [2018]
Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is widely used to reduce aggression and is considered to be effective although there are also inconsistent results. Studies investigating the effectiveness of ART do not focus on neurocognitive characteristics. Focusing on these aspects would result
Barriers and facilitators to the effective de-escalation of conflict behaviours in forensic high-secure settings: a qualitative study [2020]
BackgroundViolent and aggressive incidents are common within mental health settings and are often managed using high-risk physical interventions such as restraint and seclusion. De-escalation is a first-line technique to manage conflict behaviours and prevent violence and aggression. There is limited
Biological explanations of criminal behavior [2019]
There is a growing literature on biological explanations of antisocial and criminal behavior. This paper provides a selective review of three specific biological factors – psychophysiology (with the focus on blunted heart rate and skin conductance), brain mechanisms (with a
Bridging Neuropsychology and Forensic Psychology: Executive Function Overlaps With the Central Eight Risk and Need Factors [2018]
Recent research expanded theoretical frameworks of criminality to include biosocial perspectives. This article advances the biosocial integration into traditional criminological theories by focusing on the potential contribution of executive function (EF) to Andrews and Bonta’s risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model. EF encompasses
Can We Use Hare’s Psychopathy Model within Forensic and Non-Forensic Populations? An Empirical Investigation – 2018
Although psychopathy construct (Self-Report Psychopathy Scale–Short Form [SRP–SF]) was assessed among various samples, prior research did not investigate whether the model proposed by Hare and colleagues can be used to capture psychopathy scores derived from forensic and nonforensic populations. The
Care Considerations for LGBTQ Patients in Acute Psychiatric Settings [2020]
Caring for any patient in psychiatric crisis in an acute care setting requires a keen understanding of risk assessment as well as creation and maintenance of a safe and therapeutic treatment environment. The long-term success of acute psychiatric care is
Caring as Coercion: Exploring the Nurse’s Role in Mandated Treatment [2018]
When nurses work in environments that have overlapping medical, legal, institutional, social, and therapeutic priorities, nursing care can become an effective tool in advancing the competing goals of these multiple systems. During the provision of patient care, nurses manage the
Cause-specific mortality in Finnish forensic psychiatric patients [2018]
Purpose: To analyze the causes of mortality among patients committed to compulsory forensic psychiatric hospital treatment in Finland during 1980–2009 by categorizing the causes of mortality into somatic diseases, suicides and other unnatural deaths. Materials and methods: The causes of
Changing practice using recovery‐focused care in acute mental health settings to reduce aggression: A qualitative study [2018]
Consumer aggression is common in acute mental health settings and can result in direct or vicarious psychological or physical impacts for both consumers and health professionals. Using recovery‐focused care, nurses can implement a range of strategies to reduce aggression and
Characteristics and Needs of Long-Stay Forensic Psychiatric Inpatients: A Rapid Review of the Literature – 2018
This rapid review summarizes currently available information on the definition, prevalence, characteristics, and needs of long-stay patients within forensic psychiatric settings. Sixty nine documents from 14 countries were identified. Reports on what constitutes “long-stay” and on the characteristics of long-stay
Characteristics and Needs of Long-Stay Forensic Psychiatric Inpatients: A Rapid Review of the Literature – 2018-01-15
This rapid review summarizes currently available information on the definition, prevalence, characteristics, and needs of long-stay patients within forensic psychiatric settings. Sixty nine documents from 14 countries were identified. Reports on what constitutes “long-stay” and on the characteristics of long-stay
Characteristics and Pathways of Long-Stay Patients in High and Medium Secure Settings in England – 2018
Background: Many patients experience extended stays within forensic care, but the characteristics of long-stay patients are poorly understood. Aims: To describe the characteristics of long-stay patients in high and medium secure settings in England. Method: Detailed file reviews provided clinical,
Characteristics and personality profiles of first 100 patients admitted to a secure forensic adolescent hospital [2019]
Bluebird House is a mixed-gender adolescent medium-secure forensic unit. There is a paucity of data available about this unique patient group. We aimed to explore the demographic, clinical and personality characteristics of the first 100 patients admitted to a mixed-gender
Characteristics of patients with Gender Dysphoria admitted to a secure forensic adolescent hospital [2020]
The clinical characteristics of 13 patients with Gender Dysphoria (GD) admitted to a mixed gender secure psychiatric hospital for adolescents were analysed. The main finding was that all 13 patients were biologically female but identified as being male, at least
Clinician Perspectives of Inpatient Forensic Psychiatric Rehabilitation in a Low Secure Setting: A Qualitative Study [2018]
There is a dearth of research into what low secure forensic psychiatric rehabilitation means in Australia and internationally. The aim of this study was to understand clinician perspectives of forensic psychiatric rehabilitation in a low secure setting in Australia and
Coercion in psychiatry: A cross‐sectional study on staff views and emotions [2020]
IntroductionLittle is known about staff attitudes towards Coercive interventions (CI) and emotions accompanying these measures. AimThe current study assessed attitudes, views on reflective interventions, and accompanying emotions of different occupational groups towards CI, as well as factors, which increase the
Cognitive bias in forensic mental health assessment: Evaluator beliefs about its nature and scope – 2018-02
Decision-making of mental health professionals is influenced by irrelevant information (e.g., Murrie, Boccaccini, Guarnera, & Rufino, 2013). However, the extent to which mental health evaluators acknowledge the existence of bias, recognize it, and understand the need to guard against it,
Cognitive Impact of Fatigue in Forensic Neuropsychology Context [2018]
Physical and mental fatigue are common factors affecting function and recovery in litigated injuries and illnesses. Despite the high prevalence of fatigue-related symptoms and anticipated impact on cognitive functioning, forensic neuropsychological assessments are often challenged by the following approaches to
Comorbid opioid use is undertreated among forensic patients with schizophrenia [2018]
Background Substance use disorders are associated with poorer clinical outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. There is no specific treatment for amphetamine or cannabis use disorder, but methadone and buprenorphine are used as replacement therapy in the treatment of opioid dependence.
Comparing persons found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder for sexual offences versus nonsexual violent offences [2018]
Using data from the National Trajectory Project, we compared 50 individuals found Not Criminally Responsible on account of Mental Disorder (NCRMD) for sexual offences with 50 age- and gender-matched individuals found NCRMD for nonsexually violent offences. We also described the
Comparing self-report measures of grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism, and narcissistic personality disorder in a male offender sample [2018]
Despite a growing interest in the use of self-report measures of narcissism among student, community, and clinical samples, the research on narcissism in prison samples is sparse, despite elevated rates of narcissism in these samples. The current study examined the
Conflicting Priorities Between Risk Management and Treatment of Schizophrenia in Swiss Forensic Services – A Case Report [2018]
The Swiss Criminal Code provides measures for mentally-ill offenders focusing on their need for treatment. This may lead to the deprivation of the patient’s liberty up to several years. Under certain circumstances the mentally-ill offender can be sentenced to an
Constituting the ‘sexually violent predator’: Law, forensic psychology, and the adjudication of risk – 2018
Considerable socio-legal scholarship demonstrates law’s constitutive power, and much criminological research has considered the effects of actuarial risk assessment. However, these strands have rarely been brought together to consider how legal risk assessment practices constitute sexual subjects. This article argues
Consumers’ Perceptions of Nurses Using Recovery-focused Care to Reduce Aggression in All Acute Mental Health Including Forensic Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Study [2019]
Recovery-focused care is now the preferred model of care that health professionals can utilize to support people with a mental illness to achieve their personal and clinical recovery. However, there remains a lack of practice guidelines and educational opportunities to
Contextualist Perspectives in the Treatment of Antisocial Behaviors and Offending: A Comparative Review of FAP, ACT, DBT, and MDT [2020]
This article presents a comparative review of the application of four contextualist therapies in the treatment of antisocial behavior and offending. The therapies reviewed are functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mode
County Jail or Psychiatric Hospital? Ethical Challenges in Correctional Mental Health Care [2018]
Approximately 20% of the roughly 2.5 million individuals incarcerated in the United States have a serious mental illness (SMI). As a result of their illnesses, these individuals are often more likely to commit a crime, end up incarcerated, and languish
Criminal Thinking, Psychiatric Symptoms, and Recovery Attitudes Among Community Mental Health Patients: An Examination of Program Placement [2017]
Research suggests it is important to consider criminogenic needs among individuals with severe mental illness. This study aimed to determine the severity of criminal thinking in community-based clinical samples, understand the association between criminal thinking and psychiatric and criminal justice
Degree of Anger During Anger-Generating Situations Among Psychiatric Staff Nurses: Association Between Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Service Users’ Aggression and Confidence in Intervening in Aggressive Situations [2018]
Some situations require psychiatric staff nurses to respond to service users’ negativity or aggression. As a result, psychiatric staff nurses may experience anger. The current study examined how anger levels of psychiatric staff nurses triggered by anger-generating situations by service
Dementia and cognitive disorder identified at a forensic psychiatric examination – a study from Sweden [2017]
BackgroundFew studies have addressed the relationship between dementia and crime. We conducted a study of persons who got a primary or secondary diagnosis of dementia or cognitive disorder in a forensic psychiatric examination. MethodsIn Sweden, annually about 500 forensic psychiatric
Describing the feasibility of using case management in a specialist forensic substance misuse intervention for UK veterans: a case study [2018]
Veterans with mental health problems are a high-risk group for substance misuse difficulties and are over-represented in forensic settings. Yet, there are few substance misuse services available for this population. Evidence suggests that case management can provide effective interventions for
Developing a Model for Evidence-based Clinical Forensic Interviewing [2019]
Much of the work undertaken in forensic settings, such as diagnosis, formulation, and judgements about treatment and placement are based on information gathered through clinical forensic interviewing. Despite this, the evidence base on which clinical forensic interviewing is founded is
Differences in Neuropsychological Functioning Between Homicidal and Nonviolent Schizophrenia Samples – 2018
Few studies have compared performance on neurocognitive measures between violent and nonviolent schizophrenia samples. A better understanding of neurocognitive dysfunction in violent individuals with schizophrenia could increase the efficacy of violence reduction strategies and aid in risk assessment and adjudication
