Det stigende antal retspsykiatriske patienter

The Danish penal code § 16 (1) says that “Persons who, at the time of the act, were irresponsible owing to mental illness or similar conditions or a pronounced mental retardation are not punishable”. If ‘‘non punishable”, the court will pass one of the following treatment sanctions: (a) placement in a psychiatric ward; (b) psychiatric treatment, or (c) outpatient psychiatric treatment. Among (b) and (c) 95% is under supervision by a probation officer and these persons com price the material. Treatment continues until the sanction is abolished by the court. Between 1970 and 1990, the number o f new forensic psychiatric patients increased with an annual growth rate of 6.5%. In recent years, however, this growth rate has rapidly increased. Between 2003 and 2006, the annual growth rate was 15%. This very high rate of growth is at least partially attributable to a higher growth rate for women as compared to men.