Present status of forensic psychiatry in Finland

During the last 3 years the number of prisoners in Finland has risen, being for the moment 105 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the highest rates in Europe. This is dependent not only on the increase in criminality, but on the traditionally very severe scale of punishments applied. The penal institutions now have a 50 % overloading. The actual situation of forensic and penal psychiatric work is characterized by overloaded services, long waiting lists and a generally irritated atmosphere.