[Decrees of dangerousness].

According to the Danish Civil Commitment Law, very dangerous psychotic patients can be transferred from a general psychiatric department to the only psychiatric maximum security institution in Denmark. Denmark passed a new Mental Health Act in 1989, and according to this "decrees of dangerousness" are issued by the Ministry of Justice, followed by a court hearing. The Ministry of Justice asks the Danish Medico-Legal Council for a statement in all such cases. The number of patients who are transferred to the Maximum Security Institution according to these rules has increased greatly, the average number per year in the seventies being two to three patients, while in 1990, 11 patients were transferred. In the period 1985 to 1990, 39 cases concerning "decrees of dangerousness" were submitted to the Medico Legal Council. The Council did not find the conditions fulfilled in five cases, one case was invalidated by the court, and in two cases the requests were withdrawn. The increase in the number of "decrees of dangerousness" was equally divided between younger patients, i.e. up to 29 years old, the average duration of illness being about three years and elderly patients, i.e. 30 years or older the average duration of illness in this group being about 13 years. The majority of the patients suffered from schizophrenia. Among the younger patients, 11 of 18 had alcohol and/or drug abuse, which was only seen among three of the 21 elderly patients. Drug abuse increases the risk of dangerous behaviour among schizophrenics, and drug abuse among younger schizophrenics might be part of the explanation for the increasing number of "decrees of dangerousness".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)