Charged but never convicted: Inside the lives of forensic patients | Four Corners

Around Australia an estimated 700 people who have been charged but not convicted of crimes are being detained in the forensic system, many indefinitely.

In some of the most extreme cases, they’re locked up for years in solitary confinement with no release date.

They are living with disabilities and mental illness, and some have been determined too great a risk to live in the community because of their history of violence and complex behaviour.

For the first time, forensic patients and their families are speaking out, and Four Corners reveals allegations of torture and mistreatment.

Originally broadcast as 'Trapped’ on ABC TV and ABC iview on 16 October 2023.

Four Corners is Australia’s premier investigations documentary series.

#4Corners #ABCNewsIndepth #ABCNewsAustralia #FourCorners #Investigation #Documentary

Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.

[cliffbooth]

Without knowing what these people did to innocent members of the public, it's hard to know how they should be treated

[cosmicsquirrel]

We used to have homes for the criminally insane. Asylum for those unable to be outside. If my child was hurt by someone I'd want them locked up whatever their reasons. I don't know what the answer is but we can be humane.

[roosickle]

Practical wise what are you going to do with the people in the community ? Huge NDIS packages don’t help when the support workers can’t keep the people safe and they end up back in the mental health system that cannot cope

[ash-is-napping]

If a person is deemed not fit to stand trial, the community expectation is that they should be cared for. Not shoved away into a box and forgotten about. Again we have failed people with disabilities.

[stacey]

What about the human rights of the victims?

[kymzadow]

Not a mention about victims or their families ?

[CRAVEN]

I don’t see a single solution in this long report

[maryreynolds]

This man who was his once worker, we need more like him!

[suz]

It is not just QLD. Victoria is the same. I have seen this in action. Simple answer. A prison is not the place for people with extreme mental health. I am not saying they aren't a possible risk to society, but they need a different type of facility where they are provided with to proper type of qualified and trained care. Not just a few psych. nurses, occasional doctor, and the rest of the looking after is the prison officers, who aren't in a position to interact with them as needed and certainly not adequately trained in this field.

[smuggreycat]

No one is going to get better being kept in a cage. Institutions should not be able refuse entry to investigators. What are they afraid of us seeing? So inhumane

[nellymoo]

Mental health facilities need to be a thing. Bring back psych wards. When people are dangerous you can't expect it to be easy to find care. The public need to be safe.

[harrietbaker]

This is heart breaking! This is why we need mental health hospitals not cages!

[MsTygame]

What’s the alternative? What would be the solution ?

[XOCailleachXO]

The Qld government and by Extension the Federation of Australia need to recognise these human rights abuses and violations of our signature on the UN charter for human rights can only go un-answered for so long.

Anyone dealing with this system should be able to see it for the abject failure it is, abusing disabled people whove already been abused, making them worse in many cases rather than supporting them and their right to exist outside of abusive, torturous institutions.

[carolmccorry]

This is a simply safe place to go, being mentally ill does not hold you unacountable for your actions. What really needs to be done here is protect these poor souls is intervene when these people are younger, they must be so tired of not being protected when they were children and now as adults.

[wendys]

Forensic patients? It's a meaningless term conveying nothing to the average person.

[MyraRobertson-lc]

This is locking up and throwing away the key.

[tracesprite]

How very sad that some people live in such hopeless circumstances.

[DaveC.]

What happens when someone gets hurt or worse then what.. Adrian he fell through the cracks while the family of the victim are left to pick up the pieces

[samanthamaynard]

So who has some ideas for solutions? What should we do with dangerous and mentally I’ll people?