Forensic psychiatric evaluations of defendants: Italy and the Netherlands compared

Messina, Ester; Ferracuti, Stefano; Nicolò, Giuseppe; Ruggeri, Mirella; Kooijmans, Tijs; Meynen, Gerben

doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2019.101473

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…As compared with the professionals working in other criminal law systems (e.g., Messina et al 2019), Italian forensic psychiatry professionals have still poor skills in the use of guidelines and evidence-based scales/interventions. Indeed, specialist residency university programs are not su ciently focused on these topics.…”

Section: The Impact Of the Covid-19 Pandemic In Italymentioning

confidence: 96%

Vulnerabilities of High-Security Forensic Psychiatry Residences in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative survey and a proposal for recovery and prevention

Pozza

Ferretti

Carabellese

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Italy is the first European country severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic after the outbreak in Wuhan. In our healthcare context, the closing of forensic psychiatric hospitals in 2014 completed the long transition from a containment approach for offenders with severe mental disorders to a model oriented to recovery and community reintegration. High-Security Forensic Psychiatry Residences (REMS) were implemented by regional health authorities. Within these settings, inpatients with severe psychiatric disorders who committed a criminal offense, without criminal responsibility but still considered socially dangerous, are held, and treated. The current COVID-19 emergency represents a severe stressful event which has a potentially negative impact on the recovery process of the inpatients and on the work-related health of the psychiatric professionals. The present paper consists of two sections. In the first one, we discuss the organizational and clinical issues emerged in the forensic psychiatry system in Italy. We identify vulnerable groups and processes and suggest long-term prevention strategies at both clinical and organizational levels. Within the second section, we present the findings of a qualitative exploratory survey conducted in four different REMS immediately after the stop of the lockdown. Based on a qualitative approach, this survey explored the COVID-19 effects on mental health of REMS inpatients and healthcare workers. Thematic analysis showed five key themes: “Intervention and prevention strategies during the lockdown decision making”; “Inpatients’ reactions to the pandemic”; “Psychological reactions of the healthcare staff”; “Recovery process and relations with community mental health services”; “Lessons for the future learned from the COVID-19”.

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Section: The Impact Of the Covid-19 Pandemic In Italymentioning

confidence: 96%

Vulnerabilities of High-Security Forensic Psychiatry Residences in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative survey and a proposal for recovery and prevention

Pozza

Ferretti

Carabellese

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…SRAIs were introduced into the Dutch forensic mental health system in the late 1990s (de Ruiter & Hildebrand, 2007) and are now commonly used in FREs. Dutch forensic mental health experts evaluate approximately four to five thousand criminal defendants a year and produce a written report for a court (Messina et al, 2019). In the Netherlands, a person who has committed a crime and has a mental disorder can be ordered to treatment in a secure psychiatric facility, usually after time served in prison, a disposition known as maatregel van terbeschikkingstelling (TBS; de Ruiter & Hildebrand, 2007).…”

Section: Use Of Srais In Forensic Risk Evaluations In the Netherlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…cognitive bias; debiasing strategies; forensic mental health; forensic risk evaluations; risk assessment Forensic mental health practitioners play an important role in advising courts about the treatment and management of people who suffer from a mental illness and have been accused or convicted of a crime. Forensic mental health evaluations are a critical component of legal decision making because judges tend to follow the recommendations made by a behavioral expert (Gowensmith et al, 2012(Gowensmith et al, , 2014Leij et al, 2001;Messina et al, 2019). Specifically, an offender's estimated risk of violent or sexual reoffending is a key consideration in determining what conditions are necessary-and legally justified-to minimize the risk of harm to potential victims and to make the best use of limited resources (Harte & Breukink, 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Forensic Mental Health Practitioners’ Use of Structured Risk Assessment Instruments, Views about Bias in Risk Evaluations, and Strategies to Counteract It

Kamorowski

Ruiter

Schreuder

et al. 2022

International Journal of Forensic Mental Health

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The use of structured risk assessment instruments (SRAIs) has increased significantly over the past decades, with research documenting variation between countries. The use of SRAIs, their perceived utility and potential for mitigating bias in forensic risk evaluations (FREs) was investigated in a survey of Dutch forensic mental health practitioners (N ¼ 110) We found generally positive views regarding SRAI utility. Bias in FREs was of concern to respondents. We found no evidence of a bias blind spot (the belief that oneself is less prone to bias than peers/colleagues). SRAIs were rated as the most effective debiasing strategy, but respondents also endorsed introspection. There were few differences in beliefs about sources of bias or debiasing strategies between respondents who had bias training and those who had not, suggesting the need for development of effective strategies to mitigate bias and training related to bias in FREs.

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“…Instruments, Views About Bias in Risk Evaluations, and Strategies to Counteract It Forensic mental health practitioners play an important role in advising courts about the treatment and management of people who suffer from a mental illness and have been accused or convicted of a crime. Forensic mental health evaluations are a critical component of legal decision making because judges tend to follow the recommendations made by a behavioral expert (Gowensmith et al, 2012(Gowensmith et al, , 2014Leij et al, 2001;Messina et al, 2019). Specifically, an offender's estimated risk of violent or sexual reoffending is a key consideration in determining what conditions are necessary-and legally justified-to minimize the risk of harm to potential victims and to make the best use of limited resources (Harte & Breukink, 2010).…”

Section: Forensic Mental Health Practitioners' Use Of Structured Riskmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Use Of Srais In Forensic Risk Evaluations In the Netherlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forensic Mental Health Practitioners’ Use of Structured Risk Assessment Instruments, Views About Bias in Risk Evaluations, and Strategies to Counteract It

Kamorowski¹,

Ruiter²,

Schreuder³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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We report findings from a survey of Dutch forensic mental health practitioners (N = 110) about use and the perceived utility of specific structured risk assessment instruments (SRAIs) for forensic risk evaluations (FREs). Overall, respondents’ views of specific SRAIs were positive. They had concerns about potential bias and errors in FREs. Yet, contrary to prior surveys, we found no evidence for the tendency to think of oneself as less prone to bias than others, known as the bias blind spot. Similar to previous surveys, our respondents also endorsed introspection as an effective method to mitigate bias, whereas research indicates it is not. Finally, they rated SRAIs as the most effective debiasing strategy. We found few differences in beliefs about bias or debiasing strategies between respondents who had cognitive bias training and those who had not, suggesting the need for research to gain insight into effective debiasing strategies and the development of specific forensic bias training.

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Forensic psychiatric evaluations of defendants: Italy and the Netherlands compared

Cited by 10 publications

References 30 publications

Vulnerabilities of High-Security Forensic Psychiatry Residences in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative survey and a proposal for recovery and prevention

Vulnerabilities of High-Security Forensic Psychiatry Residences in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative survey and a proposal for recovery and prevention

Forensic Mental Health Practitioners’ Use of Structured Risk Assessment Instruments, Views about Bias in Risk Evaluations, and Strategies to Counteract It

Forensic Mental Health Practitioners’ Use of Structured Risk Assessment Instruments, Views About Bias in Risk Evaluations, and Strategies to Counteract It

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