Forensic psychiatry and prison liaison services in Auckland: the first twelve months

to assess referrals to a prison liaison service of regional forensic services in Auckland.

data on forensic psychiatric referrals from Auckland prisons 1 October 1989 to 30 September 1990 were collected. This was the first year of the service.

there were 127 forensic psychiatric referrals in the period. The characteristic profile of such a case was that of a 28.5 year old male, unemployed remanded of Maori ethnic background. The commonest charge was nonsexual assault together with a prominent history of polysubstance misuse. Schizophrenia was the most frequent diagnosis.

these findings have implications for regional forensic psychiatry services and other mental health providers, and the community in general.