Predicting criminal recidivism of insanity acquittees

Bieber, Stephen L.; Pasewark, Richard A.; Bosten, Katherine J.; Steadman, Henry J.

doi:10.1016/0160-2527(88)90024-6

Cited by 85 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…A follow‐up study reanalyzing the work of Pasewark, Bieber et al . () identified several factors that increased the risk of post‐NGRI offenses 5–10 years following hospital discharge, including a greater number of pre‐NGRI arrests, more serious pre‐NGRI crimes, psychosis, homicide as the NGRI offense, and escape during their NGRI hospitalization (Bieber, Pasewark, Bosten, & Steadman, ).…”

Section: Ngri Rehospitalization and Recidivism Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Insanity Acquittee Recidivism in Connecticut

Norko

Wasser

Magro³

et al. 2016

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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For over 30 years now the movement and status of insanity acquittees in Connecticut has been supervised by the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB). During this time, 365 acquittees have been committed to the jurisdiction of the PSRB, 177 individuals have achieved conditional release (CR) and 215 acquittees have been discharged from PSRB jurisdiction. This article examines revocation of CR by the PSRB, arrests of acquittees on CR, and provides the first report of arrests following discharge from the PSRB's jurisdiction. The literature on relevant aspects of recidivism is reviewed and compared with findings in Connecticut. There is little available literature about recidivism of insanity acquittees following release from supervision. In the present sample of individuals discharged from the PSRB, 16% were rearrested, a rate that compares favorably with other discharged populations of offenders. For discharged acquittees, community supervision on CR prior to discharge from the PSRB had a statistically significant effect on decreasing the risk of subsequent rearrest, as did both the length of stay in the hospital and the duration of commitment to the PSRB. This article presents descriptive information about revocations, arrests on CR, and arrests following discharge. These data are consistent with criminal justice studies demonstrating the value of community supervision in lowering recidivism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Ngri Rehospitalization and Recidivism Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Insanity Acquittee Recidivism in Connecticut

Norko

Wasser

Magro³

et al. 2016

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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“…However, in a later report, Bieber, Pasewark, Bosten, and Steadman (1 988) reported that among regularly-discharged acquittees the number of escapes while on the forensic unit predicted rearrest during the follow-up period. In light of the failure to find differences between regularlydischarged and escaped groups reported earlier by Pasewark , Bieber et al (1 982), the findings by Bieber et al (1988) are difficult to interpret; nevertheless, these latter results do suggest that escape is a poor prognostic indicator for individuals discharged from a forensic treatment program. Although the question whether psychiatric hospitalization helps to reduce the criminal activity of insanity acquittees remains unanswered, the results of the present investigation, together with the find-ings reported by Bieber et al (1 988), suggest that a subset of the NGRI population may be at particular risk for sabotaging treatment and continuing criminal activity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Research report characteristics and outcomes of insanity acquittees in Oklahoma

Nicholson

Norwood²,

Enyart

1991

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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The insanity defense is perhaps the most vigorously debated topic at the interface of the legal and mental health systems. This article addresses the need for empirical evidence by providing data on insanity acquittees and their later outcomes in Oklahoma, a jurisdiction not previously studied. Information was obtained on the demographic, legal, psychiatric, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization characteristics of all 61 defendants acquitted not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) and treated on the state forensic unit during a 5-year period. Insanity acquittees had few resources, significant psychopathology, and extensive involvement with the legal and mental health systems prior to the NGRI offense. Follow-up of three groups of discharged patients--those released at an initial court review, those who completed the NGRI treatment program, and those who absconded from the forensic unit--revealed that those who escaped from the unit had significantly more arrests and subsequent legal charges than regularly discharged patients.

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“…In contrast, the vast majority of studies report very low base rates of offending behavior and violence towards others occurring during a patient’s absconsion (e.g., for violence: 1.6% [8]; 1.4%, [9]), including absconders who are forensic patients (2.8% [10]; 3.2% [11]; 4.6% [12]; 4.4% [13], for all absconding events involving interpersonal violence). Within samples of individuals deemed not criminally responsible for their offenses due to mental illness, there is evidence to suggest that those with a history of absconding are more likely to be re-arrested following their hospitalization [14,15]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics and motivations of absconders from forensic mental health services: a case-control study

et al. 2014

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BackgroundAbsconding from hospital is a significant health and security issue within psychiatric facilities that can have considerable adverse effects on patients, their family members and care providers, as well as the wider community. Several studies have documented correlates associated with absconding events among general psychiatric samples; however, few studies have examined this phenomenon within samples of forensic patients where the perception of threat to public safety in the event of an unauthorized absence from hospital is often higher.MethodsWe investigate the frequency, timing, and determinants of absconding events among a sample of forensic psychiatric patients over a 24-month period, and compare patients who abscond to a control group matched along several sociodemographic and clinical dimensions. We explore, in a qualitative manner, patients’ motives for absconding.ResultsFifty-seven patients were responsible for 102 incidents of absconding during the two year study window. Forensic patients who absconded from hospital were more likely to have a history of absconding attempts, a diagnosed substance use disorder, as well as score higher on a structured professional violence risk assessment measure. Only one of the absconding events identified included an incident of minor violence, and very few included the commission of other illegal behaviors (with the exception of substance use). The most common reported motive for absconding was a sense of boredom or frustration.ConclusionsUsing an inclusive definition of absconding, we found that absconding events were generally of brief duration, and that no member of the public was harmed by patients who absconded. Findings surrounding the motivations of absconders suggest that improvements in therapeutic communication between patients and clinical teams could help to reduce the occurrence of absconding events.

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Predicting criminal recidivism of insanity acquittees

Cited by 85 publications

References 4 publications

Assessing Insanity Acquittee Recidivism in Connecticut

Assessing Insanity Acquittee Recidivism in Connecticut

Research report characteristics and outcomes of insanity acquittees in Oklahoma

Characteristics and motivations of absconders from forensic mental health services: a case-control study

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