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.