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This study was carried out as part of a larger study commissioned by the UK Department of Health to investigate the service pathways for offenders with learning disabilities (LD). The study covered three health regions in the UK and included 477 people with LD referred to services because of antisocial or offending behaviour during a 12‐month period. Data were collected concerning demographic, individual, offending behaviour and service characteristics. The findings of the study are broadly consistent with contemporary research concerning this population, particularly in relation to the nature and frequency of offending, history of offending, psychopathology, age and gender distribution. However, very few of those referred had any form of structured care plan, despite having significant offending histories, and this may have compromised early identification of their needs and communication between the health, social and other services involved.

The PCL‐R has been heralded as the ‘unparalleled’ (Salekin et al, 1996) risk assessment tool for assessing risk of violent and non‐violent recidivism. In the UK, the PCL‐R looks likely to become an industry standard assessment in psychological evaluation of individuals thought to have a dangerous and severe personality disorder. However, current knowledge about the PCL‐R is unsatisfactory, and a number of issues need to be addressed before clinicians can be confident in the use of this measure. This paper highlights these issues from the perspective of the practising clinician. Questions are raised about the theoretical, methodological and treatment implications of the use of the PCL‐R. Future research needs are established in this context of caution over the use of the measure in routine clinical and academic assessment.

The purpose of this paper is to compare learning-disabled (LD) and non-LD offenders in terms of their relating styles and to examine the relationship between relating styles and offence types.

Two groups of male offenders completed the Person’s Relating to Others Questionnaire – Version 3 (PROQ3) and were compared using an independent groups design. An adapted version of the PROQ3 was given to the first group, which consisted of 18 LD offenders detained within a mental health hospital. The second group consisted of 30 offenders detained within a Category B prison in the UK. Offenders were assigned to one of four offence categories (violence, homicide, sexual and robbery) and compared in terms of their PROQ3 scores.

The findings suggest that the sample of LD offenders had increased relating deficits compared to the non-LD offenders. The LD offenders achieved higher scores on four of the eight PROQ3 subscales; Upper Neutral (UN), Upper Close (UC), Neutral Close (NC), Lower Distant, and the total score. Significant differences were found on the UN, NC, Neutral Distant (ND), Upper Distant (UD) subscales and the total score for the robbery offenders compared to the other offence categories. Violent offenders achieved higher scores on the UC and Lower Distant subscales.

The need for research to focus on evaluating the treatment needs of lower functioning offenders in order to aid the development of LD-specific interventions. The need to evaluate the appropriateness of adapting mainstream offence focussed programmes for the LD population, given that there are potentially different treatment needs between these two distinct groups.

The results indicate that cognitive functioning is associated with higher levels of interpersonal deficit, suggesting increased treatment needs for the LD offender population. The study also highlighted that different treatment needs exist between the LD and non-LD offenders.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of psychopathology including substance use disorders in a sample of detained female systematic offenders.

All case files of female systematic offenders who had been subjected to a special court order for systematic offenders in the period 2004-2014 were studied. A total of 81 fairly complete case files were selected for the study. These were all systematic offenders as they had been sentenced for at least 25 offences with an average of 102 offences over a period of 17.5 years.

All except one woman were addicted to substances in the past year, with an average duration of addiction of 21 years. In addition, 53 per cent were diagnosed with another DSM Axis I disorder and 73 per cent were diagnosed with a personality disorder. Furthermore, 32-59 per cent were found to have intellectual dysfunctions. In total, 12 per cent had one type of the above disorders, 43 per cent two types, 31 per cent three types and 14 per cent all four types. The prevalence rates of these disorders were higher than those reported in other prison studies.

It is concluded that female systematic offenders can be characterised as problematic in many respects. Even in such a problematic group treatment can be provided.

The present study is the only study that provides prevalence data of mental disorders among female systematic offenders.

Building the Right Support, a national plan for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in England aims to avoid lengthy stays in hospital for such people. Discharge planning is understood to be helpful in facilitating successful transition from hospital to community services, however, there is little guidance available to help those working with detained patients with ID and offending histories to consider how to affect safe and effective discharges. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

In this paper, the development and implementation of a multi-faceted and systemic approach to discharge preparation and planning is described. The impact of this intervention on a range of outcomes was assessed and the views of stakeholders on the process were sought.

Initial outcome data provide support for the effectiveness of this intervention in terms of increased rates of discharge, reduced lengths of stay and low readmission rates. Stakeholders viewed the intervention as positive and beneficial in achieving timely discharge and effective post-discharge support.

People with ID are more likely to be detained in hospital and spend more time in hospital following admission. A planned, coordinated and well managed approach to discharge planning can be helpful in facilitating timely and successful discharges with low risks of readmission.

This is the first attempt to describe and evaluate a discharge planning intervention for detained offenders with ID. The intervention described appears to be a promising approach but further evaluation across a range of service settings is required.

This article explores the use of the Good Lives Model and its relevance to people with a learning disability and forensic needs. The article presents the rationale for using the model; arguing that it has the potential to address the complexities of meeting both the person‐centred agenda in learning disabilities services and the public protection agenda in relation to the management of mentally disordered offenders, including those detained under the Mental Health Act (2007). The model is compared with other treatment models, such as the Risk‐Need‐Responsivity Model (RNR). The paper briefly explores how the model may be practically applied in a service for people with learning disabilities who have committed, or who are at risk of committing, sexual offences.

This paper aims to extend previous findings by identifying the mental health correlates of both acute and chronic substance use behaviors among a large nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders.

Survey of Youth in Residential Placement interview data from 6,920 juvenile offenders (76% male) detained in 290 US facilities were analyzed to determine bivariate relationships between two indicators of substance use (acute and chronic) and seven mental health domains (depression/isolation, anxiety, anger, trauma, inattention, hallucinations and suicidality).

Prevalence rates of above average indications for all seven mental health domains were significantly higher among offenders under the influence of a substance at the time they committed their instant offense compared to those not under the influence. Offenders with above average indications in the seven studied mental health areas reported a higher level of chronic effects of substance use relative to those with average or below mental health indications.

The results have important implications for the assessment and treatment of co-occurring mental health issues among juvenile offenders with substance use issues. Juveniles with above average mental health indications may be more prone to experiencing a number of substance-related problems. Observed results may guide the implementation of routine assessment procedures at the juvenile detention level. Intake specialists should screen and administer comprehensive mental health assessments for juveniles who report substance intoxication at the time of their instant offense. Juvenile offenders who report clinical levels of mental health symptoms should receive a comprehensive assessment of substance use and related problems.

Although the co-occurrence of substance use and mental health issues among juvenile justice involved populations is well documented, previous research studies in this area have included a number of limitations. Relatively small offender sample populations, often from a single facility, warrant further work with a large, nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders. Inconsistency in measures of substance use and the failure to distinguish between acute and chronic measures of substance use in prior studies also require further investigation. This study contributes to the extant co-occurring substance use and mental health knowledge base by identifying the mental health correlates of both acute and chronic substance use behaviors among a large nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders.

Many violent and sexual offenders are mentally disordered or will develop mental disorders while serving their sentence. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced major changes to the sentencing of 'dangerous offenders'. The disposal given to these offenders has implications for subsequent clinical management in secure mental health units, prison and, ultimately, in the community, particularly when it is an indeterminate sentence. This paper argues that the Act also has implications for psychiatric evidence submitted to the courts in such cases. The changes appear to carry significant resource implications too, especially for community forensic psychiatry.