Forensic psychiatric care is aimed at improving mental health and reducing the risk of recidivism of mentally ill offenders. For some mentally disordered offenders long forensic psychiatric care is required. Due to different legal framework, policies and resources in member countries, treatment programs and care provided for these subjects may vary substantially across Europe.

COST Action IS1302, a EU project aimed at establishing a European network of researchers, clinicians and service providers about long-term forensic psychiatric care, has involved nineteen European countries for 2013 to set the basis for comparative evaluation and research on effective treatment and the development of best practice in long-term forensic psychiatry in Europe.

It is constituted by three main areas of interest and research. One group works on determination of patient characteristics, looking into prevalence, duration of stay and the most determinant characteristics of long term patients. The second area of research aims at obtaining better understanding of complex external factors that influence the poor progress of patients residing for an above average time in forensic services. Third group of research focuses on knowledge about specific needs brought about by psychiatric symptoms and how these specific needs might optimize the quality of life of patients in long term forensic psychiatric care.

Launched four years ago, the action is at its last of activities. We display features, activities and data emerging from the research conducted so far.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.