A study led by Professor Seena Fazel, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at Oxford Health, has found that psychotropic medications can reduce the risk of violent re-offending in former prisoners in Sweden.

The study, carried out in association with researchers in Sweden, is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It raises the possibility that prescribing psychotropic medications to individuals at special risk might be a way of helping re-integrate people into society, who may otherwise become trapped in a cycle of re-offending.

Professor Seena Fazel added: ‘The research also highlighted that medications seem to work beyond their immediate effects on symptoms.”

“We have shown that in a population with many mental health problems and high risks of reoffending, improving adherence and links with community health services may offer an effective way to improve outcomes for the individual prisoner and also public health and safety more broadly.’

Find out more about Professor Fazel’s study on the Oxford University’s news page.