Research Priorities in Forensic Mental Health

Abstract

This article identifies research priorities for the field of forensic mental health. What is known about the association between mental disorders, retardation, brain damage and offending and violence is briefly reviewed. It is noted that while some of the correlates of offending are common to both non-disordered and disordered offenders, others characterize specific subgroups of mentally disordered offenders. The evidence is consistent in showing that most mentally disordered offenders have multiple problems that have been present, in many cases, since childhood. Knowledge about effective treatments for mentally disordered, mentally retarded, and brain damaged offenders is highlighted. It is concluded that there is a lack of information about the organization, legal powers, and content of treatment, management, and rehabilitation programs that have been shown to impact on recidivism, relapse, and autonomous functioning. Almost nothing is known about the impact of various social services. Future research should be designed to contribute to (1) improving the efficacy of models of service organization; (2) improving the efficacy of treatment, management, and rehabilitation programs; (3) improving the efficacy of the multiple components included in treatment, management, and rehabilitation programs; (4) integrating risk assessment of violent behavior into treatment, management, and rehabilitation programs and improving the accuracy of prediction; (5) identifying the etiologies of offending and violence among persons with mental disorders, mental retardation, and brain damage; and (6) preventing offending and violence among children at risk for mental disorders.