for the period 1990 -91 to 2002 -03 (Priebe et al., 2005. In addition, in Denmark an exponential increase of 6.7% annually in the number of mentally disordered offenders has been reported (Munk-Jorgenson, 1999). Given the implications, both human and financial, of the proliferation of forensic psychiatry beds, it is imperative to understand the reasons underlying this dramatic reorganization of mental health services. The large increases in the numbers of forensic psychiatry beds over a relatively short period of time in these six countries was not a coordinated effort nor was it driven by changes to mental health policies within the countries concerned. Rather, within each country, and often locally, hospitals increased the numbers of beds without providing a rationale for their decisions other than an increasing need.There is some evidence to suggest that the increase in the numbers of forensic beds may have resulted very simply from an increase in the numbers of persons with severe mental illness who are committing crimes. A study from Denmark documented an increase in crimes among persons with severe mental illness that is greater than the increase in the general population (Kramp, 2004;Munk-Jorgenson, 1999). A study conducted in the state of Victoria, Australia showed that as the crime rate rose in the general population, the numbers of persons with schizophrenia who were committing crimes also increased (Mullen, Burgess, Wallace, Plamer, & Ruschena, 2000). Priebe et al. (2005) suggested that since rates of incarceration also rose in the same period, the increase in the number of forensic beds might be "driven by a 'zeitgeist' towards risk containment in the 21st century European society" (p.125). This hypothesis could imply that individuals are being