Author Description

People with schizophrenia who commit serious violence are detained in secure hospitals. The research presented in this book investigates the 10 year administrative, forensic, clinical and social outcomes, and their associates, of 169 patients with schizophrenia detained in a high security hospital. This is the first comprehensive prospective study of outcomes in forensic patients with schizophrenia. Chapters include: a review of schizophrenia and violence; a review of outcome studies of secure hospital patients; aims and research questions; method; baseline characteristics of sample; administrative outcomes; forensic outcomes; clinical and social outcomes; comorbid substance dependence and personality disorder; and, conclusions. The outcomes of patients are described in detail, going beyond those covered by most studies (recidivism, leaving high security and mortality), to include different types of violence (severe, chronic, convicted, non-convicted), whether patients reach the community, course of psychosis and social outcomes. Both baseline and follow-up variables are examined as predictors of key outcomes and multi-variate predictive models are presented.