Geographical release patterns and characteristics of not criminally responsible accused persons discharged into the community: An environmental perspective

This thesis examines crime and mental disorder as it relates to Not Criminally Responsible accused persons who are released from hospital custody. Forensic research has traditionally neglected the potential contextual and environmental influences affecting patients who are placed in the community. Therefore, the following issues arise: where do forensic patients reside after conditional release from hospital and how do the environmental characteristics of a community affect successful reintegration? These questions are addressed through an examination of hospital records relating to those patients released on conditional discharge in the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia from 1998-2003. Results indicate that released accused persons predominantly migrate towards communities in Vancouver and Surrey that exhibit features of social disorganization-the same neighbourhoods that surround forensic out-patient clinics. Implications for research and release planning are discussed. It appears there exists great potential for including geographic perspectives in the study of mental disorder and crime.