The increasing influence of risk assessment on forensic patient review board decisions.

What is it about?

In Canada, review boards decide the level of security imposed on people found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder. The review boards can decide whether such persons can be discharged to the community or detained in hospital or a secure forensic unit. Actuarial risk assessment tools can help improve decisions about violent offenders’ security level. However, in the 1990s and early 2000s review board decisions (and forensic psychiatrists’ opinions about security) had little relation to actuarial risk. This study found that by 2009-2012 a positive relation was evident and significantly larger than in previous research.

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Why is it important?

In 2014 the Criminal Code of Canada was changed to include a “high-risk” category of people found not criminally responsible who must be detained longer before going before the review board. This study suggests that review boards were already taking risk into account.