THE DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS MENTALLY DISO RDERED PATIENT AND OFFENDER- LENGTHS OF STAY IN CONDITIONS OF MAXIMUM SECURITY IN FRANCE AND IN ENGLAND AND WALES

The average length of stay of a difficult and dangerous mentally disor dered patient and offender in conditions of maximum security is much l onger in England and Wales than it is in France. This difference can b e attributed to reasons of history, to national procedures relating to admission, transfer and discharge, to the differing importance attach ed to the gravity of the admission offence and to the time-lags involv ed in carrying out the transfer and discharge decisions.