Family needs and burdens of mentally ill offenders

A growing number of research projects have been devoted to the study of needs, burdens and intervention programmes of families of psychiatric patients due to the emphasis on deinstitutionalization and community integration. Although it is noted that burdens for families when looking after a patient with a criminal history are even heavier and more complicated, studies on identifying family needs and burdens for mentally ill offenders have been very limited. This paper reviews literature on family burdens and studies on family needs for psychiatric patients with a forensic history. Methodological problems of available studies are discussed. In addition, a theoretical model that can be used as a conceptual guide for the study of burdens of families of mentally ill offenders is postulated. Directions for further research are discussed.