NCJ Number
146687
Date Published
1994
Length
249 pages
Annotation
This book describes and assesses Oregon's system for managing insanity acquittees that was introduced in 1978 and has since been adopted in other States.
Abstract
The system's key innovation is the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB). Oregon transferred the legal responsibility for insanity acquittees from the trial courts to the PSRB. Once the trial court completes its activities, the PSRB manages the insanity acquittee for the duration of the court's disposition. The State legislature required the PSRB to give primary attention to public protection in its management of insanity acquittees. The PSRB conducts approximately 300 full hearings annually. Hearing outcomes may be no change in placement, conditional release into the community, return to the hospital on a revocation of conditional release, or discharge from PSRB jurisdiction. Significant features of the system are a time limit on PSRB's jurisdiction over the insanity acquittee, which the court sets; the availability of conditional release, monitored community treatment, and prompt revocation of conditional release; and the role of the mental health authority in the system. The authors use data from a long- term research project to characterize Oregon's insanity acquittees and to empirically investigate aspects of the system designed to care for them. The book concludes that these features provide a mechanism for the fair and balanced management of insanity acquittees. Chapter tables, references, and a subject index