Forensic hospitals are responsible for both the custody and treatment of patients, including treatment that will minimize the risk of future violence to the community. This study examined factors that affected length of stay (LOS) in Maryland’s only maximum-security forensic hospital for mentally ill patients who were adjudicated not criminally responsible (NCR) for serious violent crimes. The current study focused on the combined effects of demo-graphic, legal, and clinical variables on LOS in NCR patients who had been approved for transfer to a less restrictive environment to determine what, if any, variables should be targeted for services during hospitalization. The results of the study indicated that, in addition to gender, history of employment prior to the offense was the strongest predictor of LOS. Three other variables contributed less significantly to the prediction model. These findings have pro-grammatic implications for forensic psychiatric facilities treating the seriously mentally ill.

In forensic social work, a relatively new field of practice, significant contact between social work and the law is prominent. A statewide program of services to forensic psychiatric patients in Maryland demonstrates the principles and issues involved in forensic work and the widespread applicability of social work concerns in the criminal justice and mental health systems.

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