Investigating the impact of support through enhanced management (StEM) on safety measures within the women ’s estate prisons – a matched control group study
This study aims to investigate the impact of support through enhanced management (StEM) on the safety of people who have committed offences, who reside in the women’s estate prisons in England.
A matched control study comprising 32 participants investigated the number of safety incidents before and after the implementation of StEM.
When comparing people in prison who had StEM, to those who had not, there were no significant differences in the number of safety incidents one month after StEM was implemented, compared to the one month before. There was a statistically significant reduction in safety incidents in t...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - April 12, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Laura Ramsay
Nicholas Smith Source Type: research
Finding words for the unspoken: family intervention in forensic settings
Andy Cook, Julie Payne
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
The purpose of this paper is to describe family intervention (FI) with four families in which the service user is under the care of forensic mental health services. There is a focus on identifying how systemic practice is used or adapted in working with families who have a family member who has presented risk and caused harm.
Four case studies are used to provide a basis for the exploration of commonalities in practice between the cases and the utility of FI within forensic services, whic...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - April 12, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Andy Cook
Julie Payne Source Type: research
A qualitative exploration of the role of employment in desistance and subsequent identity change – ex-prisoners’ lived experiences
This study aims to examine the lived experiences of adult male ex-offenders who had served a custodial sentence in the UK, to explore the potential influence of employment as a desistance-promoting factor in the construction of a new, non-offending identity.
Interpretative phenomenological analysis was applied to eight semi-structured interview transcripts, up to 12 months after release from prison, from which five themes emerged.
Findings showed that lawful income through employment is associated with a shift in the values and goals of former prisoners, but only after transformation from an offending identity in...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - April 5, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Natasha Rhoden
Sarah Senker
Emily Glorney Source Type: research
Women admitted to forensic psychiatry in Flanders (Belgium): Who are they?
Jan De Varé, Vivienne de Vogel, An de Decker, Sabine Tremmery, Kasia Uzieblo, Leen Cappon
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
Despite the rising number of females in forensic psychiatry, research about their characteristics remains limited and is currently lacking in Belgium. Optimizing knowledge about the characteristics of these women will lead to a better understanding of this specific group. Therefore, the aim of the study was to gain insight into the characteristics of female forensic psychiatric patients in Flanders, Belgium.
A case file s...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - April 1, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Jan De Var é
Vivienne de Vogel
An de Decker
Sabine Tremmery
Kasia Uzieblo
Leen Cappon Source Type: research
An evaluation of a pilot multi-professional offender personality disorder (OPD) higher education programme
This study aims to provide an overview and the research evaluation results of a regional higher education programme delivered to a range of criminal justice workers used on the OPD pathway.
Three modules were developed and delivered; these are (1) enhancing understanding (20 students), (2) formulation and therapeutic intervention (20 students) and (3) relationships, teams and environments (17 students). A mixed-methods study evaluated participant confidence and compassion. Pre, post and six-month follow-up questionnaires were completed. Additionally, a series of focus groups were conducted to gain in-depth qualitative...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - March 29, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Gary Lamph
Alison Elliott
Kathryn Gardner
Karen Wright
Emma Jones
Michael Haslam
Nicola Graham-Kevan
Raeesa Jassat
Fiona Jones
Mick McKeown Source Type: research
Drumming, singing and ceremony within a psychologically informed planned environment for women on the offender personality disorder pathway
This study used a small sample (n = 6), and all participants were accessing the same OPD provision PIPE. Further, participation was voluntary, and results found may relate to possible biases in a self-selecting sample. The interviewer knew the participants through their clinical work, and despite being informed that participation in this research project would have no bearing on their treatment pathway, some may have participated as a way to demonstrate their compliance with the overall programme. A further limitation relates to the group being evaluated on its own without a comparison group.
This study has important ...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - March 11, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Louise Craddock
Maisie Kells
Louise Morgan
Iduna Shah-Beckley Source Type: research
“I feel happier in myself with the dogs”: the perceived impact of a prison animal programme for well-being
This study aims to explore the perceived benefits of a short-term PAP on the well-being of a sample of individuals assessed as at risk of self-harm.
Participants with complex mental health needs in a category B prison took part in a four-week programme where two dogs were brought in for interactions once a week. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants at the end of the programme.
Three themes were identified through thematic analysis: “A Safe Space for Emotional Experience”, “An Opportunity to Connect” and “Being Human”. The narratives offered a range of perceived benefits wh...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - February 9, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Jenny Mercer
Ella Williams Davies
Megan Cook
Nic J. Bowes Source Type: research
Service evaluation of the South Wales police control room mental health triage model: outcomes achieved, lessons learned and next steps
Laura Broome, Jason Davies, Mark Lewis
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
South Wales Police Mental Health (MH) Triage service was initiated to meet the Welsh Government MH priority of early intervention to prevent MH crisis. Community Psychiatric Nurses, based in the control-room, provide advice to police and control room staff on the management of MH-related incidents. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the first 12 months of operation (January-December 2019).
Service evaluation of the first 12 months of operation (January–December 201...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - February 4, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Laura Broome
Jason Davies
Mark Lewis Source Type: research
The bias in judgement: when “naïve” knowledge challenges expert knowledge in criminal trials
Sid Abdellaoui, Anta Niang
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
The purpose of this paper is to offer a discussion on the socio-cognitive biases involved during a criminal trial, in accordance with the literature in this field.
Whether it is the biases of representation, availability or anchoring (Fariña et al., 2003), they have been widely studied in social psychology and constitute a relevant angle of analysis in the judicial context.
This paper outlines the issues related to the reality of the judicial decision, the psychological dilemmas...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - February 2, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Sid Abdellaoui
Anta Niang Source Type: research
Book Review: The Brain Defense: Murder in Manhattan and the Dawn of Neuroscience in America ’s Courtrooms
Book Review: The Brain Defense: Murder in Manhattan and the Dawn of Neuroscience in America’s Courtrooms
Owen P. O'Sullivan
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp.79-80 (Source: Journal of Forensic Practice)
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - January 21, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Owen P. O'Sullivan Source Type: research
Book Review
Dr Owen P. O'Sullivan
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp.79-80 (Source: Journal of Forensic Practice)
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - January 21, 2022 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Dr Owen P. O'Sullivan Source Type: research
Linking the past and the present: service users perspectives of how adverse experiences relate to their admission to forensic mental health services
This study aimed to explore how forensic mental health service users make sense of their past adverse experiences. Secondly, it aimed to explore whether service users considered their adverse experiences to be related to their current stay in a forensic mental health setting.
Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse interviews with eight service users in low and medium secure care. Six of the participants were male and two were female.
Four super-ordinate themes emerged from the data: Living amongst adversity; Managing adverse experiences; Making sense of going into secure care; and Cop...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - December 30, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Jessica Cartwright
Daniel Lawrence
Christopher Hartwright Source Type: research
Linking the past and the present: service users ’ perspectives of how adverse experiences relate to their admission to forensic mental health services
This study aimed to explore how forensic mental health service users make sense of their past adverse experiences. Secondly, it aimed to explore whether service users considered their adverse experiences to be related to their current stay in a forensic mental health setting.
Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse interviews with eight service users in low and medium secure care. Six of the participants were male and two were female.
Four super-ordinate themes emerged from the data: “Living amongst adversity”; “Managing adverse experiences”; “Making sense of going into secure care...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - December 29, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Jessica Cartwright
Daniel Lawrence
Christopher Hartwright Source Type: research
A rapid evidence assessment of psychological treatment approaches for stalking behaviour
Shonagh Leigh, Jason Davies
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
This paper aims to provide practitioners with a brief but comprehensive review of the current evidence base for psychological treatment approaches used in the UK that may be useful for stalking therapies.
A rapid evidence assessment was conducted on papers (post the UK Protection from Harassment Act, 1997) that discuss treatments of stalking (with or without a conviction) and associated offences/disorders. Therapies reviewed were Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Analytic ...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - December 10, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Shonagh Leigh
Jason Davies Source Type: research
The use of a guided peer review assessment for investigative interviewers of child witnesses
Sonja P. Brubacher, Martine B. Powell, Linda C. Steele, David Boud
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
Investigative interviewers assess their colleagues' interviews (‘peer review’) as a necessary part of their practice, and for their self-development. Yet, there is little guidance around what the process involves and how they might do it. Research suggests that effective peer review is supported by using guidance material. The goal of the present work was to describe the use of such a guide by a group of professionals who regularly conduct invest...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - December 2, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Sonja P. Brubacher
Martine B. Powell
Linda C. Steele
David Boud Source Type: research
