Clinical and forensic outcome 2 years and 5 years after admission to a medium secure unit

We describe 225 consecutive first admissions to a medium secure unit between 1983 and 1996, and their clinical and forensic outcome 2 years and 5 years after admission. Clinical outcome includes the duration of the patients' stay, their destination on discharge and, at 2 years and 5 years after admission, their location. Forensic outcome was the absence or presence of any new convictions by 2 years and 5 years after admission. The results demonstrate that the patients were a heterogeneous group with differing needs. Over 50% had an inpatient stay exceeding 24 months, and in more than 10% of cases the admission duration exceeded 5 years, confirming the need for long-term medium secure provision. There were few further convictions. Overall, of those patients who spent any time in the community,10% were convicted of a further offence within 2 years; 14% were convicted between 2 and 5 years, some of whom had also offended in the earlier period. The only variable significantly associated with reconviction was conviction prior to the index offence leading to the MSU admission.