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Abstract
This study aimed to examine the proportion of psychiatric reports prepared by experts in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry; to discuss the quality of information available in reports submitted to the court in juvenile homicide trials and to make recommendations for report content in these cases. An eight-year (1996–2004) cross-sectional survey of 363 juvenile homicide perpetrators in England and Wales was examined. In 45% (n = 165) of the cases, at least one report was submitted to court. Of these, 61% (101 cases) were prepared by adult psychiatrists and 27% (44 cases) by child and adolescent psychiatrists. Information provided in reports varied depending on the author, with child and adolescent psychiatrists providing more detailed information on developmental items. Our results suggest that more efforts should be made to ensure the most appropriate expert is commissioned to provide a thorough assessment of the juvenile and their mental state at the time of the offence.
Acknowledgements
The study was carried out as part of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness. We thank the other members of the research team: Kirsten Windfuhr, Alyson Williams, Isabelle Hunt, Sandra Flynn, Alison Roscoe, Harriet Bickley, Pauline Turnbull, Rebecca Lowe, Jimmy Burns, Philip Stones, Mohammad Shaiyan Rahman, Kelly Hadfield, Danielle Matthews, Paul Clarke, Huma Daud and Navneet Kapur. We acknowledge the help of health authorities and trust contacts and consultant psychiatrists for completing the questionnaires. The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness is funded by the National Patient Safety Agency.