Mental health professionals and violence risk assessments

Resumo

There has been a gradual evolution in the provision of forensic mental health services in England and Wales over the past forty years following recommendations of the Butler and Glancy reports in the 1970s, the Reed Report in the 1990s, the Bradley Report in 2009 as well as other Departmental of Health and Home Office reviews and reports. Forensic psychiatrists involved in physical and sexual violence risk assessments are increasingly acting as ”gate-keepers” of potentially violent people from the community (Scott 1974; Bluglass 1990; Rose 2008). This may take place for various reasons such as for the purpose of advising the Courts with regards to the risk considerations of allowing bail, the necessity of involuntary detention in the interests of public safety or it may occur as a part of a comprehensive assessment within the criminal justice system to determine the suitability of an offender for parole or release from custody (Maden 2003; Mills 2011) (trecho)