Screening for borderline personality symptoms amongst adult offenders attending rehabilitation programmes

There is a paucity of research into rates of borderline personality disorder in Australian forensic settings. This paper aimed to describe self-reported borderline personality symptoms within a South Australian offender cohort attending rehabilitation programmes in the prison or community. A retrospective audit of N = 576 offender records was undertaken between February 2021 and August 2023. Offenders routinely completed the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder on entry to rehabilitation programmes. Respondents who endorsed 7 or more items on this screener were categorised into a 'high borderline symptom' group and compared across key demographics. The sample was predominantly men (n = 546) with 33% categorised into the 'high borderline symptoms' group, compared to 20% of women assessed (n = 30). Findings suggest high rates of borderline personality symptoms amongst this cohort, which has implications for engagement in rehabilitation programmes, staff training and education, and opportunities for reducing recidivism.