Legal Classification (legal + classification)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Children, admitted to high security (special) hospital

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2003
Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry, Claire Dimond Consultant in Child
Introduction The Special Hospitals in England provide psychiatric treatment in high security. The aim of this study was to examine the demographics and background characteristics of children admitted to high security hospitals in England, using the special hospital case register. Method Forty-six children (the subject group) were admitted to a high security hospital under the MHA (1983) classification of disorder of mental illness and/or psychopathic disorder between 1983 and 1999, 33 (72%) of whom were male. A comparison group of adults was matched on sex, legal classification of detention and MHA 1983 classification of disorder. Results The children were admitted for a similar range of offences to those of the comparison group. However, the children had received convictions for criminal damage and violence at a significantly earlier age, they were more likely to have experienced a change in carer during their childhood, been placed in a children's home and were less likely to be living with a family member on their 16th birthday. Children admitted to special hospital experience a lot of disruption in their childhood and are extremely high users of multi-agency services as they grow up. Discussion Issues are raised regarding how to provide a developmentally sensitive service for children who require high security care. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]


The voice of detainees in a high security setting on services for people with personality disorder

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2002
Sue Ryan
Background British government Home and Health Departments have been consulting widely about service development for people with ,dangerous severe personality disorder' (DSPD). There has, however, been no consultation with service users, nor is there any user view literature in this area. Methods All people detained in one high security hospital under the legal classification of psychopathic disorder were eligible but those on the admission or intensive care wards were not approached. Views of service were elicited using a purpose designed semi-structured interview. The principal researcher was independent of all clinical teams. Confidentiality about patients' views was assured. Aims To establish views on services from one subgroup of people nominated by the government department as having ,DSPD'. Results Sixty-one of 89 agreed to interview. With security a given, about half expressed a preference for a high security hospital setting, 20% prison and 25% elsewhere, generally medium secure hospitals. Participants most valued caring, understanding and ,experience' among staff. An ideal service was considered to be one within small, domestic living units, providing group and individual therapies. Some found living with people with mental illness difficult, but some specified not wanting segregated units. Views were affected by gender and comorbidity. Conclusions As the sample were all in hospital, the emphasis on treatment may reflect a placement bias. All but five participants, however, had had experience of both health and criminal justice services, so were well placed to talk with authority about preferences. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]


Casenote assessment of psychopathy in a high security hospital

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2001
Dr David Reiss
Introduction There is now a large amount of data demonstrating the internal reliability and construct validity of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL/PCL-R) when used in the assessment of psychopathy in male forensic populations. It has well-established psychometric properties when scored following a review of collateral information and a subsequent interview. However, its internal reliability and factor structure, when casenote information alone has been used, have not been examined outside North America. Method A sample of 89 patients from a British high security hospital, with the legal classification of psychopathic disorder, was scored retrospectively on the PCL-R from their medical files only. The psychometric properties of the PCL-R were analysed. Results The PCL-R ratings showed a high level of internal reliability. The factor structure was very similar to that found in Hare's North American sample of forensic psychiatric patients. Discussion The findings support the application of the PCL-R, when scored using existing file data alone, to a British high security hospital population. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]


Modified Shotguns in Turkey from 2006 to 2008

JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 4 2009
Aylin Yalç, bey M.Sc., n Sar
Abstract:, This study investigates the legal status of modified shotguns in Turkey by examining the cases submitted to the Ayd,n Regional Criminal Laboratory between January 2006 and August 2008. A total of 351 shotguns used in crimes were examined. These guns were evaluated in respect of their type, size, caliber, fitness for use, and legal classification. Eleven percent of these shotguns had been modified and it was found that 55% of the modified shotguns were classified according to law 6136 and qualified as a pistol and 45% were classified according to law 2521 and qualified as nonstandard shotguns. Within the Turkish criminal justice system, a nonstandard shotgun attracts a less stringent sentence than a pistol. It would therefore appear that this sentencing structure is considered when modifying shotguns in Turkey. This is clearly a loop-hole in the legislation that could perhaps be investigated and closed. [source]


Are perceptions of parenting and interpersonal functioning related in those with personality disorder?

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY (AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THEORY & PRACTICE), Issue 3 2001
Evidence from patients detained in a high secure setting
We explored the widely-held assumption that dysfunctional interpersonal behaviour, a key characteristic of personality disorder, is associated with adverse experiences in childhood in a sample of patients detained in high secure care. We obtained Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) and Chart of Interpersonal Relations in Closed Living Environment (CIRCLE) data from 79 patients detained at a high secure hospital. This comprised 48 with the legal classification (1983 Mental Health Act) of Psychopathic Disorder (PD) and 31 with the legal classification of Mental Illness (MI). On the PBI, the PD group had significantly lower care scores and increased protection scores compared with the MI group; the latter reported care and protection scores similar to those from published norms. The CIRCLE scores also demonstrated significantly different interpersonal functioning between the PD and MI groups, with each group typically plotted in opposing halves of the interpersonal circle (IPC). Although the PDs showed abnormalities in both the PBI and CIRCLE in the expected direction, there were no clear associations between aspects of abnormal parenting and adult dysfunctional interpersonal behaviour within this group. This finding did not confirm our hypothesis and we discuss possible explanations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]