Dr. Karen De Freitas

Forensic psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry. It focuses on assessing and treating people with severe mental illness who have become involved with the criminal justice system. Psychiatrists in this field are trained to assess these people and to help them recover from their active symptoms and start on their recovery journey.

When is the right time for someone in the forensic mental health system to begin the process of transitioning back into the community? What privileges does a person in the forensic mental health system have access to? When can a person be discharged? In general terms, these are very difficult questions to answer because every situation is as unique as a person’s DNA. Before we dig deeper into those questions, perhaps some background information is required.