[Penrose's law: reality or fiction? Mental health system and the size of prison population - international overview].

Abstract

According to the Penrose's law, outlined on the basis of a comparative study of European statistics, there is an inverse relationship between the number of psychiatric beds and prison population. Based on international data, interrelationship among prison, asylum, psychiatric disease and criminal action are investigated in the present study, paying particular attention to the event of deinstitutionalization. Prevalence of mental and addictive diseases as well as psychological disturbances in prison is characterized by epidemiological data. As proposed by Penrose, an inverse relationship between the number of psychiatric beds and prison population can be observed in Hungary, too. To get a deeper insight into the mainstream of the events, economic, sociological, philosophical, as well as therapeutic aspects initializing deinstitutionalization are highlighted in the course of analysis. On the basis of data, it can be assumed that members the same population are confined to both systems. The author arrives at the conclusion that deinstitutionalization has in fact led to trans-institutionalization, because of, on one hand, the limited capacity of community treatment facilities; on the other hand, the community treatment itself cannot provide adequate treatment options to those suffering from severe, chronic mental diseases or comorbid states. In addition, the rate of financial support and the methods for prevention and treatment are insufficient to protect patients from the effects of revolving door.

• Authors: Miklós Péter Kalapos
• Journal: Orvosi hetilap (Orv Hetil) Vol. 150 Issue 28 Pg. 1321-30 (Jul 12 2009) ISSN: 0030-6002 [Print] Hungary
• Vernacular Title: Penrose-törvény: realitás vagy fikció? Az elmeegészségügy helyzete és a börtönpopuláció nagysága - nemzetközi kitekintés.
• PMID: 19581161 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Historical Article, Journal Article, Review)

Topics

• Chronic Disease
• Commitment of Mentally Ill
• Community Mental Health Services (history, supply & distribution)
• Deinstitutionalization (history, trends)
• Europe (epidemiology)
• Forensic Psychiatry (history, trends)
• History, 17th Century
• History, 18th Century
• History, 19th Century
• History, 20th Century
• History, 21st Century
• History, Ancient
• History, Medieval
• Hospital Bed Capacity (statistics & numerical data)
• Hospitals, Psychiatric (history, statistics & numerical data)
• Humans
• Hungary (epidemiology)
• Insanity Defense
• Institutionalization (history, trends)
• Mental Disorders (diagnosis, epidemiology, therapy)
• Mental Health (history)
• Patient Compliance
• Prisoners (history, psychology, statistics & numerical data)
• Prisons (history, statistics & numerical data)
• Recurrence
• United States (epidemiology)