McDonnaugh, T;
Underwood, A;
Williams, A;
(2020)
"Swimming against the tide": conditional discharge from medium secure care.
Journal of Forensic Practice
10.1108/JFP-06-2019-0023.
(In press).
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Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) conditionally discharged from secure hospitals on a restrictive Section of the Mental Health Act (Section 37/41). / Design/methodology/approach: Data were derived from seven semi-structured interviews from three forensic community teams. / Findings: Thematic analysis identified seven predominant themes: (1) the uncertainty of the discharge timeframe; (2) fear of jeopardising discharge; (3) progress; (4) engagement with community life; (5) barriers to social engagement; (6) evolving identity and (7) someone to turn to. Findings are discussed in relation to the recovery model and the good lives model. / Practical implications: The findings highlight the importance of fostering trust between MDOs and their care teams to encourage help-seeking. They also suggest that resources should be sequenced appropriately throughout the discharge process, to match the “window of engagement” and maximize impact and effectiveness. / Originality/value: This research gained rarely obtained first-hand perspectives from MDOs, with the findings contributing to a more effective evaluation of the discharge pathway.
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