Mental health care in prisons and the issue of forensic hospitals in Italy.

摘要: Mental health (MH) care for Italian prisoners and offenders with mental illness is a paradoxical issue. Theory practice remained unchanged throughout the 20th century, despite radical changes to general psychiatric care. Until recently, Italy had one of most advanced National Health Service (NHS)-run community psychiatry systems totally obsolete system forensic managed by criminal justice institutions. Not until 2008, after substantial pressure public opinion International Human Rights bodies, did government approve major reform transferring in prisons hospitals NHS. Forensic were be progressively closed, specialized small-scale facilities developed discharged illness, along diversion schemes ordinary Despite some important achievements, three problem areas remain: this happened without Criminal Code; regions differ organization resources services; legal/criminological expertise among NHS MH professionals limited.