A survey of the criminal careers of restriction order patients

The offenders committed to local hospitals in 1962 and 1964 under a hospital order with restriction of discharge were followed up for 15 years with regard to subsequent court appearances, hospital admissions, and death. One hundred and forty-six were traced. Of these, 49 per cent had been diagnosed as mentally ill: most of this group were committed for violent offences. Thirty-five per cent were mentally subnormal: they were frequently committed for sexual offences, arson and property offences. Twelve per cent were diagnosed psychopathic: this group had a wide variety of committal offences. Fourteen per cent of the mentally ill and 17 per cent of the mentally subnormal were still in hospital after 15 years, but 51 per cent of the mentally ill and 36 per cent of the psychopaths were released within two years. Few of the subsequent offences were serious in any of the diagnostic groups. Since 1973 there has been a dramatic fall in restriction orders, especially for mentally subnormal patients.