Patients in forensic mental hospitals in Germany with little chance of discharge from inpatient detention

摘要

Background In Germany, like in other western countries, the number of patients in hospital order clinics has risen considerably in the last ten years, causing problems of capacity in forensic psychiatric institutions. One effect is a more intense discussion on the limits of "treatability" of forensic patients. Objective (1) To assess the number of patients with little hope of discharge on the long term. (2) To identify correlates of lack of prospects of discharge. Method (1) All forensic psychiatric hospitals were contacted and asked to report on patients considered, untreatable" or chronically dangerous. (2) Several hospitals were asked to fill in a detailed questionnaire on background and course of treatment of these patients. Results Objective (1) wasn't obtained as many hospitals refused to co-operate in the survey or did it half-heartedly. Detailed assessments of 134 patients could be compared with data gathered from 322 patients who had been discharged from forensic mental hospitals. The fact that a patient is a sex offender proofed to be a major obstacle of discharge. Discussion The finding does not only reflect problems of treatment of sex offenders. It also mirrors back a societal climate strongly influenced by mass media.