Route of discharge for special (high-security) hospital patients with personality disorder - Relationship with re-conviction

Background A considerable proportion of patients with personality disorder are discharged directly to the community from special (high-security) hospi tals. Aims; To examine whether patients with personality disorder discharged dire ctly to the community are more likely to be re-convicted than those transfe rred to psychiatric hospitals of lesser security. Method Re-conviction data for a five to nine-year follow-up were collected for a four-year (1988-1991)special hospital discharge cohort of patients wi th personality disorder. Results individuals discharged directly to the community were not significa ntly more likely to be re-convicted than those transferred to less secure p sychiatric hospitals. However, patients discharged to the community without formal conditions of supervision were more likely to be re-convicted than those discharged to the community with conditions or those transferred to o ther psychiatric hospitals. Conclusions Formal supervision after discharge may be more important than a ctual destination in influencing the likelihood of re-conviction. Declaration of interest funding. No conflict of interest. No external.