Changing characteristics of forensic psychiatric patients in Ontario: a population-based study from 1987 to 2012

ConclusionsDefining the trends characterizing the growth of the forensic population has important policy implications, as forensic services are costly and involve a significant loss of liberty. The current results indicate that young, substance abusing individuals of diverse ethno-racial backgrounds and who commit relatively low-level violence comprise an increasing proportion of Ontario ’s forensic population, and suggest that treatment must be optimized to best serve the needs of these individuals.
Source: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research