【総説】Review of Issues in Community Mental Health for Forensic Patients and Support for Nurses

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the issues present in forensic community mental health, the difficulties faced by nurses, and the state of support for nurses using the relevant literature. To that end, we discussed the research topics that will be needed in the future. There is a personnel shortage in forensic community mental health, and the nurses face various difficulties, such as preventing recidivism and supporting social reintegration. Regarding support for nurses, many studies have been conducted on assessing the risk of violence by forensic patients. In Japan, the nursing practice items necessary for community support based on the Medical Treatment and Supervision Act, which covers the treatment of forensic patients, have been clarified. However, few studies have been conducted on support for forensic community mental health nurses in Japan, so research that seeks evidence to facilitate effective nursing practice is needed. Additionally, nurse education related to forensic community mental health is not well developed, so research is needed to develop an educational system.