[Discharge of incompetent mentally abnormal criminals: experience from the Austrian central treatment institution].

Based on the data of 66 male patients not guilty for reason of insanity, who were treated in Justizanstalt Göllersdorf, Austria's central institution for mentally ill offenders, we examined the influence of age, duration of detention, diagnosis, and offence on discharge. Law provides a yearly, compulsory examination of the necessity of further inpatient-treatment. We also tried to describe a concept of further dangerousness (considered to be the essential basis for the decision of possible discharge) in a four-factor-model including the criteria psychopathology, insight, conflict behaviour, and social competence. Concerning the various levels of decision finding (institution, expert, court) different interpretations of these criteria could be demonstrated. Independent of diagnostic and prognostic considerations the court stressed mainly kind of offence as the most important factor for the possibility of discharge.