Patterns of reconviction in patients discharged directly to the community from a special hospital: Implications for aftercare

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Abstract
Follow-up studies of patients discharged to the community from the English Special Hospitals were reviewed. Differences in reconviction rates between patients conditionally and absolutely discharged and between those classified as mentally ill (MI) and psychopathically disordered (PD) were identified. The cases of the first 106 male patients discharged from Park Lane Hospital were examined. Details of their clinical features and criminological history were analysed. During the follow-up period of between 6 months and 14 years, 87 of the patients had not been convicted of a serious offence. Clear and consistent differences in reconviction rates were found; patients classified as psychopathically disordered were significantly more likely to be reconvicted than those classified as mentally ill and those who were subject to conditions after discharge were reconvicted significantly less often than those who were discharged without conditions. Virtually all of the reconvictions of the mentally ill group occurred within the first 3 years after discharge; by contrast, the psychopathically disordered group continued to record reconvictions for 6 years. Implications both for follow-up studies and for the administration of after-care are discussed.