Mental Disorder, Substance Use and Criminal Justice Contact

In May 2003, the Minister of State for Mental Health brought together representatives from Ministry of Health Services (MOHS), Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), Ministry of Attorney General (MAG) and the Ministry for Public Safety and Solicitor General (MPSSG) to address the prevalence of people with mental and substance use disorders who are involved in the justice system. The result was a cross-ministry commitment to develop a report about mentally disordered offenders in the justice system in order to identify the high priority and long-term issues for this population and provide recommendations to address these concerns. The many challenges associated with mental health, substance use and the justice system are recognized world wide, and a number of reforms are underway in different jurisdictions. Invariably, these reforms reflect a combination of local needs, resources, legislation and a consideration of available evidence. A critical first step in the process of reform is careful review of available information. In British Columbia, the provincial government has formed an interministerial steering committee, with research support provided through the University of British Columbia. The UBC team, in collaboration with other experts in Canada and abroad, collected and analysed information in the following formats: Literature Review: A scholarly review of the international literature. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive review available of the professional literature pertaining to mental disorders, substance use disorders and criminal justice contact. Survey of Other Jurisdictions: A survey highlighting areas of need and opportunities for reform in jurisdictions across Canada and elsewhere. BC Data Analysis: A report examining the administrative data for addressing mental illness and substance use in relation to the justice system in BC. These analyses are based on an unprecedented linkage of administrative information concerning corrections and health services for the population. In 1999/2000, there were 52,000 individuals (43,859 adults and 8,234 youth) involved with the provincial corrections system. Almost 15,000 (29 percent) of the total cohort were classified as mentally disordered offenders. The prevalence rate is nearly twice the rate for the general British Columbia population. &nbsp

The utility of the Historical Clinical Risk -20 Scale as a predictor of outcomes in decisions to transfer patients from high to lower levels of security-A UK perspective

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Structured Professional Judgment (SPJ) approaches to violence risk assessment are increasingly being adopted into clinical practice in international forensic settings. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive validity of the Historical Clinical Risk -20 (HCR-20) violence risk assessment scale for outcome following transfers from high to medium security in a United Kingdom setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The sample was predominately male and mentally ill and the majority of cases were detained under the criminal section of the Mental Health Act (1986). The HCR-20 was rated based on detailed case file information on 72 cases transferred from high to medium security. Outcomes were examined, independent of risk score, and cases were classed as "success or failure" based on established criteria.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean length of follow up was 6 years. The total HCR-20 score was a robust predictor of failure at lower levels of security and return to high security. The Clinical and Risk management items contributed most to predictive accuracy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although the HCR-20 was designed as a violence risk prediction tool our findings suggest it has potential utility in decisions to transfer patients from high to lower levels of security.</p

Children\u27s Intellectual Rights in Canada: A Comparative Constitutional Approach

I. Introduction II. Traditional Constitutional Differences between the United States and Canada ... A. The United States Bill of Rights ... B. The Canadian Bill of Rights ... C. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms III. The Fundamental Freedoms in the Charter and Their Guarantee of Children\u27s Intellectual Rights ... A. Freedom of Conscience and Religion in Public Schools ... 1. Religion in Public Schools in the United States ... 2. Religion in Public Schools in Canada ... B. Freedom of Thought, Belief, Opinion, and Expression ... 1. Freedom of Speech and Expression in the United States ... 2. Freedom of Speech and Expression in Canada ... C. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association ... 1. Freedom of Association in United States Schools … 2. Freedom of Association in Canadian Schools ... D. Conclusions IV. The Impact of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms on the Intellectual Rights of Children in Canada ... A. Empirical Evidence Regarding the Development of Rational Thinking in Children ... 1. Deductive Reasoning ... 2. Inductive Reasoning ... 3. Moral Reasoning ... B. Implications of Empirical Evidence of Rationality to the Provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms V. Conclusion

Law and Psychology in the 1990s: The Broadening of the Discipline

Editor’s introduction to the articles composing the symposium issues (both issues 1 and 2 of volume 69), which focus on law and psychology

Offender rehabilitation: from "nothing works" to what next?

As the articles in the special issue make clear, significant advances have been made in the field of offender rehabilitation over the past 25 years. Reflecting on the contributions in the this special issue, this article discusses the foundational considerations, populations of concern, psychological needs, and historical lessons concerning offender rehabilitation

A comparison of insanity defense standards on juror decision making

Abstract not available

Identifying and accommodating the needs of mentally ill people in gaols and prisons

There is a disproportionate number of people with serious mental illnesses in the criminal justice system. Few of these people meet the legal criteria to be considered formal "forensic patients" (i.e., found unfit to plead or not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder). Instead, many are detained in remand gaols and are eventually sentenced. This article will provide an overview of the prevalence of mental illness among those in the criminal justice system. Information will be provided conceming the need for mental health services in gaols. An overview will be presented of the way in which the Province of British Columbia in Canada has developed correctional and forensic mental health services to identify and accommodate the needs of mentally ill people in the criminal justice system. Attention is paid, as well, to the related issues of diversion from gaols and the need for suicide nsk identification and management in gaols

Law and human behavior: reflecting back and looking forward

Abstract not available