International journal of law and psychiatry
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Int J Law Psychiatry · Jul 2020
ReviewDomestic violence against women and the COVID-19 pandemic: What is the role of psychiatry?
A heightened risk of domestic violence has been associated with infection-reducing measures undertaken by governments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatric services can play a key role in addressing this issue by (a) addressing certain risk factors for perpetration of domestic violence through, for example, assertive identification and management of substance misuse; (b) providing support, advocacy and treatment services for victims of domestic violence; and (c) multi-agency working to strengthen medical and social responses to domestic violence. At a time like this, it is important that multi-disciplinary mental health services are strengthened, rather than depleted, in order to address the pressing issues at hand.
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Int J Law Psychiatry · Jul 2020
ReviewThe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the precipitation of intimate partner violence.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a global pandemic and many have been victims of it long before Covid-19. International organizations have documented an increase in IPV reports during the current pandemic, raising awareness of the potential causes for such an increase. Reflecting on risk factors associated with IPV, and the underlying need of the perpetrators to exert control over the victims, it becomes increasingly important to understand how the current policies of social distancing, self-isolation, and lockdown can precipitate episodes of IPV. ⋯ This article begins by examining the main risk factors more commonly associated with IPV in the literature. It proceeds by reflecting on how these risk factors may be exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, which can explain the increased number of reports. Finally, it emphasizes the new challenges faced by health care professionals, while assisting IPV victims during the pandemic and provides possible recommendations on actions to implement during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic to prevent such cases.
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Int J Law Psychiatry · May 2016
ReviewEffects of alcohol on the offender's sanity-Issues of criminal law and psychiatry in light of findings of research.
The present report is the result of research on the causes of insanity or issuing opinions about the causes of insanity or diminished sanity perpetrators in criminal proceedings conducted in Poland (CEE). Research has shown the impact that has, in fact, use or abuse of alcohol and other alcoholic diseases on the status of the accused in criminal proceedings. This publication presents not only the results but also the basic regulations - valid in Poland and in other European countries - with respect to the responsibility of the perpetrators insane, with diminished sanity and being in a state of inebriation at the time of committing a criminal act.
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Int J Law Psychiatry · Jan 1995
ReviewMental health research in the criminal justice system: The need for common approaches and international perspectives.
There is a need for researchers and policy makers in the area of mental health and law to collaborate and develop common methods of approach to research. Although we have learned a great deal about the prevalence and needs of mentally ill offenders in jails and prisons, there are a number of research questions that remain. If the "second generation" of research is to be fruitful--and useful to policy makers--we need to be sure that the methods we employ are valid and that the findings we obtain are reliable. ⋯ Much of the research conducted with mentally ill offenders to date has focused primarily upon psychological and psychiatric questions--questions that are, as Hodgins (1995) indicates, epidemiological in nature. More attention must be paid to that research by policy makers and others who work with mentally ill offenders in the criminal justice system. As Hoyer et al. (1995) and Gould (1995) make clear, a number of unique policy questions arise when considering mentally ill offenders in the legal system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)