PRISON TRANSFERS TO SPECIAL-HOSPITALS SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MENTAL-HEALTH-ACT-1983

Research on prisoners transferred to Special Hospitals during the curr ency of the Mental Health Act 1959 raised concerns about delays in tra nsfer, prisoners being transferred late in their sentence, and prisone rs, often sex offenders, being detained in hospital for prolonged peri ods. The latter gave rise to worry that the Special Hospitals were bei ng used to detain patients preventively. This study dealt with sentenc ed prisoners transferred to the three Special Hospitals of England and Wales after the introduction of the Mental Health Act 1983. Its purpo se was to consider whether the concerns raised earlier remained valid. The records of all patients transferred from prison to Special Hospit al during the period 1984-91 were reviewed. Of all admissions to the S pecial Hospitals, 351 (23%) were transferred prisoners. The admission characteristics of the transferred group were similar to those of othe r referrals. The results failed to confirm the earlier concerns. In mo st cases prisoners were transferred to hospital within 2 months of bei ng assessed. There was little evidence that transfer was being used to lengthen a prison sentence and no evidence that time spent in hospita l reflected the gravity of the offence.