Van stoornis naar delict. De verbrokkelde hulpverleningsgeschiedenissen van tbs-gestelden

Abstract

This article gives a literature search about the increase of the number of patientssubject to a hospital order, and about the relation between injured people andcommon treatment and care. File research was done at the Court of Appealin Arnhem (Netherlands). The research deals with the question whether morehospital orders are imposed as a result of the (dis)functioning of the MentalHealth Service in the Netherlands. The file analysis shows that, before imposinga hospital order, most patients had long-term, frequent contacts with the MentalHealth Service, with care and treatment for drug addicts and/or with childwelfare, both voluntary and involuntary, clinically and ambulatory. It is certainthat these patients had received care and treatment for years, but it must bedoubted whether the correct type of care and treatment was offered. Both careand treatment could be suddenly terminated by the therapists or by the patienthimself or herself and no (forced) aftercare was given. As a result, these peoplecame in situations which sometimes led to serious deterioration of their condition,to serious criminal acts, and eventually to a hospital order. A conclusion isthat, from this point of view, the functioning of the Mental Health Service andother organisations of common treatment and care contributes to an increaseof the number of patients subject to a hospital order. Only a small group of patientsmay be concerned, but the impact is serious. Within these organisations,this must lead to a reflection on their attitude with respect to these patients.