Assessing Forensic Mental Health Need: Policy, Theory and Research
Andrea Cohen and Nigel Eastman
Mentally disordered offenders (MDOs)
have dominatd the recent political agenda for mental health care
emphasised by cases such as those of Christopher Clunis and Michael
Stone. Yet successive governments have constrained the development
of all health and social services by the requirement that they must
be demonstrated as capable of benefiting those to whom they are
applied.
This book analyses the development
of government policy for services for MDOs since the important
Butler report in 1975 and provides a theoretical framework for
adjudging research which purports to demonstrate a need and
outcome. Finally, it emphasises the subjective and value-laden
nature of all needs assessments and their interpretation and poses
the crucial questions of whose need it is that we address through
MDO services, those of the patient or of society.
This book will be valuable to
clinicians and researchers working in mental health services,
policy-makers, service commissioners and managers.
Features:
- An analysis of the history of the MDO policy in relation to
needs assessment pre and post the important Reed Report.
- A methodological framework for needs assessment of MDOs.
- Critical appraisal of alternative definitions of needs and of
related concepts.
- Critical analysis of the application of needs assessment
methods.
- A review of research relevant to needs assessment for
MDOs.
- Needs in relation to outcome.
- An analysis of recent policy development related to MDO
services.