Assessment of needs and clinical parameters in forensic patients in low and medium security wards

Aims: The aim of the study was to compare patients treated in "court psychiatric wards" of low and medium security in terms of their needs, severity of psychopathological symptoms, subjective assessment of quality of life and satisfaction with treatment. Method: The study was conducted at the Regional Mental Hospital in Lubiaz, Poland. It involved patients interned at two low security forensic psychiatric wards and one medium security ward. 93 male patients were assessed. The following research tools were used: Camberwell Assessment of Need - Forensic Version (CAN-FOR), a sociodemographic and clinical data questionnaire, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Client's Assessment of Treatment (CAT) scale, and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA) scale. Results: Patients at the medium security ward reported greater overall needs and a greater number of unmet needs. The overall severity of psychopathology, including deficits and positive symptoms, was higher among patients in low security wards. Discussion: Results indicate that medical care on wards with low and medium security is at a similar level. Individuals are committed to medium security wards based not on their mental disorder but rather on the nature of the offense they had committed, which in this case is more serious than that of individuals directed to low security wards. Conclusions: The services provided in forensic psychiatric wards, especially in medium security wards, do not sufficiently meet the needs of patients.