Evaluating conditional release in female insanity acquittees: A risk management perspective.

Abstract

Research focusing on insanity acquittees released into the community has been growing at an exponential rate to reflect the policy and practice of placing these individuals in the community under supervision. Research on females placed on conditional release has lagged behind studies on males. Data on 76 females (M age = 42.76) found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and conditionally released over a 7-year time period were evaluated. Fifty-two females (68.4%) maintained their conditional release and 24 (31.6%) had their conditional release revoked for rule violations or criminal behavior; however, there were no revocations for violent behavior. Required hospitalization to treat emerging symptoms of mental illness was related to revocation of release. Likelihood of a subsequent revocation increased after an initial revocation. Implications for treatment and policy are discussed, with emphases on risk management and program development.

What Factors Are Related to Success on Conditional Release/Discharge? Findings from the New Orleans Forensic Aftercare Clinic: 2002‐2013

“…Other studies have found similar results using multivariate outcomes with the metric of emerging mental health symptoms requiring hospitalization (Parker, 2004; Vitacco et al ., 2008, 2011), which could be considered a dynamic risk counterpart to the finding by Bertman-Pate et al . Previous criminal charges have also been shown to be related to revocation by Vitacco and colleagues (2013).…”

“…For convenience and ease of discussion, the variables were classified based on the type of variable under consideration (i.e., demographic, clinical/diagnostic, legal, and program), consistent with previous studies of conditional release (Callahan & Silver, 1998; Monson et al ., 2001; Vitacco et al ., 2008, 2011, 2013). …”

“…The majority of studies focus on the conditional release of NGRI acquittees (Callahan & Silver, 1998; Monson, Gunnin, Fogel, & Kyle, 2001; Parker 2004; Vitacco et al ., 2008, 2011, 2013), although Bertman-Pate and colleagues (2004) and Wilson and colleagues (1995) evaluated conditional release in a mixed sample of mentally disordered offenders.…”

“…Most recently, Vitacco and colleagues (2008, 2011, 2013) conducted a series of robust studies examining factors related to the maintenance of conditional release. Vitacco and colleagues (2008) demonstrated in a large sample ( n = 363) of NGRI acquittees that 66% maintained conditional release for 3.7 years.…”

Dynamic and Static Factors Associated with Discharge Dispositions: The National Trajectory Project of Individuals Found Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder (NCRMD) in Canada

“…Return to hospital often reflects a deterioration in the individual's mental health status (Bertman‐Pate et al, ; Golding, Eaves, & Kowaz, ; Vitacco et al, ), a failure to comply with treatment (Bertman‐Pate et al, ; Golding et al, ), and substance use (Bertman‐Pate et al, ; Callahan & Silver, ; Golding et al, ; Riordan et al, ). A recent study by Vitacco and colleagues () on CD revocation among 76 female American insanity acquittees found that demographic, diagnostic, mental health, and criminal history characteristics were unrelated to conditional release outcomes (dichotomized to reflect successful maintenance of CD (68.4%) or return to hospital (31.6%) over a 24 month period). Short‐term hospitalization was the only factor associated with revocation of conditional release.…”