This thesis explores the determinants of clinical outcomes in detainees requiring acute psychiatric care, focusing on a population marked by vulnerability, marginalization and complex mental health needs. Analyzing clinical, sociodemographic, gender-related and cultural factors in a Geneva-based forensic psychiatric unit, this work aims to assess detainees’ psychiatric needs. Variables such as length of stay, legal status and voluntary engagement are considered to evaluate factors influencing the clinical evolution of patients.

Specific detainee subgroups are examined, including pre-trial detainees, individuals under court-ordered psychiatric treatment, immigrants in detention and women; each facing distinct vulnerabilities.

The articles have been chosen for their relevance to the specific population of detainees receiving acute psychiatric care in the catchment area. Each of them addresses a different aspect of mental health treatment in a prison setting (frequent admissions, treatment outcomes and duration, compulsory hospitalization) and contributes to a deeper understanding of the clinical pathways of detainees with psychiatric needs.

Future directions for research include a focused analysis on the increasing population of women and the structural and conceptual limitations in addressing their psychiatric needs.

The importance of long-term follow-up—especially in a context as precarious as incarceration, where repeated imprisonments are frequent—also emerges as an aspect requiring further study.