Am J Psychiatry 1991; 148:444-448
Copyright © 1991 by American Psychiatric Association
Monitored conditional release of persons found not guilty by reason of insanity
JD Bloom, MH Williams and DA Bigelow
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR 97201.
This article reviews the recent literature documenting changes that have
taken place in the management and treatment of insanity defense acquittees
with the development of conditional release and monitored community
treatment. The review demonstrates that conditional release is particularly
important as a means of balancing the protection of society with the
treatment of insanity defense acquittees in the least restrictive
environment. The review also highlights the development of community
programs based on treatment models for the chronically mentally ill. In
addition, monitored community treatment programs appear cost-effective when
compared with hospital-based programs. These factors point to the
development in the 1990s of program standards for the release of insanity
defense acquittees.
