Can a Case be Made for Developing Specialist Forensic Geriatric Psychiatry Services?

ABSTRACT

The proportion of elderly in the general population is increasing worldwide. Although society may view elderly offenders leniently, crimes rates among the elderly are increasing in several countries. Elderly offenders have a high prevelance of psychiatric morbidity, which is often undetected and untreated. A number of potential risk factors are identified from the literatutre. Specialist tertiary forensic geriatric psychiatry services are suggested to meet the psychiatric needs of this very vulnerable group of patients.