The effects of COVID-19 on self-harm in a high-secure psychiatry hospital
This study demonstrates the substantial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to secure psychiatric services. Having an awareness of how the pandemic can impact on self-harm is important, as it allows the correct balance of restriction of our patients’ liberty to a degree deemed necessary to control the pandemic and the delivery of effective patient care. The key clinical implications include the importance of direct face-to-face patient contact, effective communication, therapeutic interventions and activities, the psychological impact of quarantine and the influence the pandemic can have on an individual’s function of ...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - August 5, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Alexander Challinor
Kathryn Naylor
Patrick Verstreken Source Type: research
Fit in your genes: an introduction to genes and epigenetics for forensic practitioners
This article aims to introduce forensic practitioners to basic concepts in genetics and epigenetics so that they are able to engage with the relevant literature and understand the far-reaching implications for forensic practice.
It is becoming increasingly useful for forensic practitioners to appreciate how life experiences are encoded into biology through epigenetics. This paper highlights the potential of genetic and epigenetic research to provide major contributions to real-world practice in the coming years. It provides a modern biopsychosocial perspective on harmful behaviour and helps deepen the understanding of...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - August 3, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Jamie Stephen Walton Source Type: research
Ethnic disparity in mental health legislation at the point of inpatient entry: pilot review in detained adolescents with developmental disorders
This study aims to explore ethnic differences in MHA sections and the factors accounting for this, in an adolescent inpatient developmental disorder service.
File reviews were conducted to explore differences in MHA status, as well as demographic, clinical and risk factors that may account for this, between 39 white British and ethnic minority adolescents detained to a specialist inpatient developmental disorder service.
Consistent with adult literature, adolescents of an ethnic minority were overrepresented in the sample and were significantly more likely to be detained on Part III or “forensic” sections of ...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - August 2, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Deborah J. Morris
Elanor Lucy Webb
Lowri Foster-Davies
Paul M. Wallang
David Gibbs
Peter D. McAllister
Farshad Shaddel Source Type: research
Drama education as part of a good lives model treatment approach
Nienke Verstegen, Wineke Smid, Jolijn van der Schoot
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
Forensic psychiatric treatment is aimed at reducing violence risk factors (Bonta and Andrews, 2017) and achieving positive, prosocial life goals (Willis et al., 2013). Drama education can be provided as part of this treatment, but the evidence base is scarce. Therefore, the present study aims to provide insight into experiences with drama education as part of forensic psychiatric treatment.
A qualitative study was conducted, based on participant observation a...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - July 10, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Nienke Verstegen
Wineke Smid
Jolijn van der Schoot Source Type: research
Access to non-violent pornography in a secure forensic hospital
Thomas Nally, Jane L. Ireland, Kimberley McNeill, Philip Birch, Carol A. Ireland
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
The purpose of this paper is to explore non-violent pornography within secure hospital settings.
It includes a systematic review (n = 40 papers), followed by a qualitative study comprising semi-structured interviews (n = 24, 6 patients and 18 staff) and staff focus groups (n = 22 staff).
The systematic review identified six themes, as follows: pornography is inconsistently defined, pornography exposure can increase general agg...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - July 8, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Thomas Nally
Jane L. Ireland
Kimberley McNeill
Philip Birch
Carol A. Ireland Source Type: research
“That’s the way my Wednesdays always go”: reverse-order instructions insufficient to mitigate schema-consistent errors in alibi generation
Joseph Eastwood, Mark D. Snow, Stuart Freedman
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of innocent suspects to produce accurate alibis, as well as to identify procedures police interviewers can use to increase the probability of generating accurate alibis.
In Study 1, 54 university students had a lecture (target event) end at either the normal time (schema group) or 25 min early (non-schema group) and then attempted to generate an alibi for the target event after either a short, moderate or long d...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - July 7, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Joseph Eastwood
Mark D. Snow
Stuart Freedman Source Type: research
Victim empathy-based content in aggression treatment: exploring impact within a secure forensic hospital
This study aims to explore the impact of inclusion of victim empathy-based content in offender treatment.
This study first presents a systematic review of 20 papers before proceeding to consider qualitative interviews with therapists (n = 7) and forensic patients (n = 5), who had completed a long-term violence therapy (Life Minus Violence – Enhanced, LMV-E©). The research explored perceptions of forensic patients and treatment facilitators when completing victim empathy work and explored any negative effects this may have.
Findings from the systematic review indicated five themes: interventions incorporating v...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - July 7, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Thomas Nally
Jane L. Ireland
Leah Greenwood
Carol A. Ireland
Philip Birch Source Type: research
Accessing and engaging with primary health care services following discharge from forensic secure services: the perspectives of service users and mental health practitioners
This study highlights some of the unique challenges in forensics around improving physical health outcomes for individuals with SMI. (Source: Journal of Forensic Practice)
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - July 2, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Emily Samuels Nicola Moran Source Type: research
Working in a prison: Challenges, rewards, and the impact on mental health and well-being
Sophie Dennard, Derek K. Tracy, Aaron Beeney, Laura Craster, Fiona Bailey, Anisah Baureek, Michael Barton, Jeanette Turrell, Sarah Poynton, Vafo Navkarov, Radha Kothari
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
Prisons are uniquely challenging working environments. Staff are often exposed to direct and indirect trauma, impacting negatively on their mental well-being. Due to the limited research into prison staff experience, this paper aims to explore what staff find most challenging, how they cope, what support they would like and rewarding aspects of their...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - June 21, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Sophie Dennard Derek K. Tracy Aaron Beeney Laura Craster Fiona Bailey Anisah Baureek Michael Barton Jeanette Turrell Sarah Poynton Vafo Navkarov Radha Kothari Source Type: research
Psychologists as expert witnesses: survey results from the expert witness advisory group (EWAG)
This study aims to build on the results of previous survey studies of psychologists working as expert witnesses in identifying the current challenges faced by EWPsychs.
Using a mixed-methods design, a sample 58 practicing psychologist expert witnesses were surveyed, and qualitative data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach.
Six overarching themes emerged from the online survey data: training and knowledge, changes to procedure rules and Legal Aid Authority fees, quality of reports, pressures to change opinion, conflict with EWPsychs and expert witness feedback. Over a third of psychologists working as ...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - June 15, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Leam A. Craig Source Type: research
Self-injurious behaviour in forensic mental health care: a study into the prevalence and characteristics of incidents of self-injury
Vivienne de Vogel, Nienke Verstegen
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
Incidents of self-injury by forensic psychiatric patients often have a deleterious impact on all those involved. Moreover, self-injurious behaviour is an important predictor for violence towards others during treatment. The aim of this study is to analyse methods and severity of incidents of self-injury of patients admitted to forensic psychiatry, as well as the diagnoses of self-injuring patients.
All incidents of self-injury during treatment in a forensic psychiatric centre...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - May 10, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Vivienne de Vogel Nienke Verstegen Source Type: research
How do forensic inpatients ’ interpersonal sensitivity to dominance and perceptions of staff coercion impact upon anger and rates of aggression?
How do forensic inpatients’ interpersonal sensitivity to dominance and perceptions of staff coercion impact upon anger and rates of aggression?
Jessica Holley, James Tapp, Simon Draycott
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-
Coercive practices – which are used as means to manage violent/aggressive behaviour in secure forensic settings – have come under scrutiny in recent years due to their paradoxical effects on provoking further service user aggression and violence. Previous research has found relationships between increased service user aggressio...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - April 6, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Jessica Holley James Tapp Simon Draycott Source Type: research
Assessing the risk of self-harm: the impact of safety interventions on the predictive validity of risk assessment in secure care
Alessandra Girardi, Elanor Lucy Webb, Ashimesh Roychowdhury
The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp.63-74
Self-harm is a cause of concern for health-care professionals. The Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) is a short-term assessment instrument used to rate the likelihood of risk behaviours, including self-harm. As result of the assessment, interventions that are implemented to reduce the risk of self-harm may reduce the strength of the predictive validity of a risk assessment tool. The aim of this study was explore the impact of risk management interventions o...
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - February 2, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Alessandra Girardi Elanor Lucy Webb Ashimesh Roychowdhury Source Type: research
Suicide prevention across the UK criminal justice system: an overview of current provision and future directions
This article represents an overview of the existing literature as well as possible future ideas for policy. It is therefore a piece that represents the viewpoint of all involved authors. (Source: Journal of Forensic Practice)
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - February 2, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Stefanie Oliveira Antunes Verity Wainwright Neil Gredecki Source Type: research
Risk classes of patients diagnosed with substance use disorders in Dutch forensic psychiatric centers
This study informed on the heterogeneity of forensic patients with SUD and identified four homogenous classes that differ in important variables for the treatment approach. Based on these classes, a more refined treatment approach can be developed. Possible treatment approaches are discussed, but future research is needed to provide evidence.
This study is the first to identify classes within forensic patients with SUD and, therefore, sets the first step to develop a tailored treatment approach based on characteristics informative for treatment. (Source: Journal of Forensic Practice)
Source: Journal of Forensic Practice - February 2, 2021 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Michele Schmitter Jeroen Vermunt Eric Blaauw Stefan Bogaerts Source Type: research
