Crisis at Christmas 1986.

Of 100 men and women interviewed at Crisis at Christmas, 34 were actively psychotic, and 12 of these had had no contact with psychiatric services. Of those also answering as to whether or not they had been in prison, 25 (81%) replied in the affirmative, including 1 who had been in Broadmoor for attempted murder. In the combined group of 46 who either had had previous psychiatric admissions or were actively psychotic, 32 (78%) admitted to having been to prison (2 declined to answer), which was significantly in excess of the figure (42%) for those with no serious psychopathology and no previous psychiatric history. About a third of those interviewed were not receiving their benefit entitlement, the proportions being similar for those with and without a history of psychiatric illness. These results show a deterioration since last year's survey.