Browsing by Author "Moura, Helena"
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- Psychiatric monitoring of not guilty by reason of insanity outpatientsPublication . Almeida, Fernando; Moreira, Diana; Moura, Helena; Mota, VictorIndividuals deemed Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) by the courts, under Article 20 of the Portuguese Criminal Code, have often committed very serious crimes. It is unreasonable to consider that these patients were usually kept without adequate supervision after the security measure had been declared extinct. They often decompensated after leaving the institution where they complied with the security measure, and/or relapsed to alcohol and drug abuse. Very often, severe repeated crime erupted again. Considering this, there was an urgent need to keep a follow-up assessment of these patients in order to prevent them from relapsing in crime. This work presents the results of a psychiatric follow-up project with NGRI outpatients. The main goals of the project were: ensuring follow-up and appropriate therapeutic responses for these patients, maintaining all individuals in a care network, and preventing them from decompensating. The team consisted of a psychiatrist, a nurse, and a psychologist. Seventytwo patients were monitored during two years. Results demonstrated the unequivocal need to follow up decompensated patients after the court order is extinguished. Suggestions are presented for a better framing and psychiatric follow-up of these patients.
- Schizophrenic Psychosis and Crime Prevention: An Intervention ProjectPublication . Almeida, Fernando; Moura, Helena; Mota, Victor; Moreira, DianaThe implementation of a clinical treatment project in any mental health service is critical. More than just thinking about clinical cases, it is essential to prevent the occurrence of decompensation in many of our patients. Individuals deemed Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) have often committed very serious crimes. The main goal is to investigate the monitoring and treatment of patients who suffer from a schizophrenic psychosis, specially. A total of 72 patients participated in the study. The participants were individuals deemed NGRI by the courts, under Article 20 of the Portuguese Criminal Code. Results demonstrated the unequivocally need to follow up decompensated patients after the court order extinguished and these individuals were free and responsible for their own paths. Literature shows that many of them recidivate and become dangerous. Suggestions are presented for a better framing and psychiatric follow-up. Thanks to the implementation of this project centered in outpatients’ treatment, patients could be treated before its clinical decompensation would cause more serious criminal behavior than those perpetrated until that time. The importance of the implementation of this program is demonstrated by the clinical presentation of one case.