Forensic psychiatry

Psychiatry is defined as the study and treatment of mental illness, emotional disturbance, and abnormal behaviour. Psychiatry is a medical specialty, and so psychiatrists need to be medically trained to perform this type of medicine. This is the main difference between psychiatry and psychology; which can be defined as the study of behaviour and the mind, and can be thought of more as a social science. Forensic psychiatry is a specialised branch of psychiatry which deals with the assessment and treatment of mentally ill offenders in prisons, secure hospitals and the community. It is a particular aspect of psychiatry which I find interesting as it has extreme consequences in terms of the threat posed to society.

Forensic psychiatrists provide psychiatric treatment in a secure environment or where patients are subject to legal restrictions- meaning that the doctor needs an in-depth understanding of criminal, civil and case law as it relates to patient care in these settings. Treatment areas can vary from high security rural prisons to community centres. Referrals can range from those who have committed minor offences to serious and violent offenders, and for this reason the day of a forensic psychiatrist is never the monotonous. Forensic psychiatrists may also assess non-offenders displaying high-risk behaviour. Forensic psychiatrists also provide specialist advice to courts, probation services, and the prison service. They also prepare reports for mental health review tribunals, hospital managers’ hearings, other practitioners and criminal justice agencies.

Expert opinions given to court:

• ·         defendant’s fitness to plead and fitness to stand trial
• ·         capacity to form an intent
• ·         advice to the courts on the available psychiatric defences
• ·         appropriateness of a mental health disposal at the time of sentencing
• ·         nature of a particular mental disorder and link to future risks
• ·         prognosis and availability of “appropriate treatment”
• ·         level of security required to treat a patient and manage risk