Role of clinical psychology in prevention of socially dangerous actions by the mentally ill ¹⁷²⁸

The role of psychologists in the forensic hospitals providing compulsory treatment for the mentally ill is discussed in the article. The actual state of affairs is described. The results of the interviews with 54 psychologists, members of the forensic hospital’s staff are compared with the data obtained from American colleagues. The necessity of changing the priorities in psycho diagnostic work during compulsory treatment of the mentally ill offenders is justified. For example, dynamic neuropsychological and pathopsychological evaluations must become the main forms of diagnostic activities. The contents of specific types of diagnostic in forensic assessment are presented. Identification of potentially aggressive patients with the aim of violent episodes prevention as well as identification of patients who will benefit most from intensive psychotherapy should become the crucial parts of clinical practice. The particular attention must be paid to the evaluation of the sex offenders, especially to the adolescents and patients with mental retardation. The efficiency of different management practices of psychologists’ activity is also analyzed.

Keywords: forensic hospitals, compulsory treatment, violence risk assessment, sex offenders, employment practices, psychodiagnostic work.

Column: Forensic and Clinical Psychology in Legal Context