The chapters are a rich contribution of cross-cultural thinking on the many dilemmas and challenges facing nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and other health care practitioners, working with specific client groups. Each contributor has utilised empirical data to analyse relevant issues, such as: professional standards; effectiveness of preparation for nurses working within secure environments; day to day and long term challenges facing nurses; clinical effectiveness; the dilemma of security versus practice; how forensic nursing differs from other kinds of nursing; and what forensic nurses can contribute to other mental health care disciplines. Examples of how research findings may be integrated into practice, will be of interest not only to forensic nurses, but also to significant sectors of the mental health care field.

Contributions by: Mary Addo, Tom van Erven, Roger Almvic, Uwe Donisch-Seidel, Mick Collins, Karen Elliott, Leah Ousley, Cindy Peternelji-Taylor, Jean Jones, Alison Kuppen, Virginia Lynch, Kevin Gournay, Colin Holmes, Anita Hufft, Nigel Hopkins, Trond Hatling, John Swinton, Carol Watson, Lawrence Whyte, Phil Woods