Dr. Sarah Deland
Assistant Professor of Adult Psychiatry & Forensic Neurospychiatry
Education
University of Florida
Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic, Pittsburgh
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Articles
Violence, Guns, and Suicide in New Orleans: Results from a Qualitative Study of Recent Suicide Decedents
2018
Many Americans own guns to protect themselves against other people, but there is evidence that both victimization and gun access increase suicide risk. We conducted qualitative interviews with informants of 17 suicide cases in New Orleans of the 60 who died between January 2015 and April 2016 to understand the relationship between past trauma, gun access and storage, and suicide. Nine cases had experienced a past trauma, including three who had recently had a family member killed by homicide. Eight died via firearm; of those, seven owned the guns they used to take their lives and stored them locked (but loaded) at home or in their cars. Preventing community violence and addressing its sequelae may be important for reducing suicides. A multi-pronged strategy consisting of policies, education, and marketing will likely be needed to address the risk of suicide conferred by gun access.
Patient Characteristics and Outcomes Related to Successful Outpatient Competency Restoration: Outpatient competency restoration
2017
Criminal defendants have a fundamental right to a fair and speedy trial. However, individuals found incompetent to stand trial are unable to move forward in the adjudication process and are often mired in protracted legal proceedings. If competency restoration is statutorily permissible and can be conducted in the outpatient setting, we propose that it should be considered based on burgeoning empirical data. We present data from an outpatient forensic clinic in which individuals are conditionally released to receive competency restoration in the community. Results indicated that three variables, including being single/never married, having comorbid intellectual disability and mental illness, and having one's conditional release revoked, were negatively related to successful restoration. The final model explained approximately one-third of the variance in restorability and correctly classified 75% of cases. Results demonstrate that individuals can be safely released to the community and successfully restored to competency in the outpatient setting. Utilizing outpatient competency restoration would not only reduce strain on inpatient facilities, but would also reduce the cost of treatment.
Opportunities to Intervene? “Warning Signs” for Suicide in the Days before Dying
2017
To validate warning signs for suicide, researchers interviewed 20 respondents, representing 17 suicides in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, about characteristics of the decedent in the year, month, and days preceding the death. Decedents did exhibit behaviors consistent with existing warning signs, but these were rarely new behaviors present 7 days prior to the suicide but not previously. Research is needed to continue to test warning signs for suicide, and education campaigns that teach warning signs may not be relevant for preventing suicide among those in mental health treatment or involved in the criminal justice system.
What Factors Are Related to Success on Conditional Release/Discharge? Findings from the New Orleans Forensic Aftercare Clinic: 2002-2013
2014
The present study investigated the empirically based factors that predicted success on conditional release among a sample of individuals conditionally discharged in Louisiana. Not guilty by reason of insanity acquittees and individuals on conditional release/discharge for incompetency to stand trial were included in the study. Success on conditional release was defined as maintenance of conditional release during the study period. Recidivism (arrest on new charges) and incidents were empirically evaluated. Success on conditional release was maintained in over 70% of individuals. Recidivism was low, with only five arrests on new charges. Success on conditional release was predicted by financial resources, not having a personality disorder, and having fewer total incidents in the program. After controlling for the influence of other variables, having an incident on conditional release was predicted by a substance use diagnosis and being released from jail. Individuals conditionally released from jail showed fewer number of days to first incident (67 vs. 575 days) compared with individuals discharged from the hospital. These data provide support for the successful management of forensic patients in the community via conditional release, although they highlight specific factors that should be considered when developing community-based release programming. Conditional release programs should consider empirical factors in the development of risk assessment and risk management approaches to improve successful maintenance of community-based forensic treatment alternatives.
Media Appearances
Common factors are found in cases of Patricide, Matricide according to experts
"Unfortunately, we've ended up with a number of people in these forensic mental health systems who never came to mental health treatments until something bad like this happened," Dr. DeLand said.
Father Ruled Insane in Boy's Decapitation
Both Dr. Sarah Deland, an assistant professor of psychiatry and forensic neuropsychiatry at Tulane University, and Dr. George Seiden, a forensic psychiatrist from Shreveport, brought in by prosecutors, testified that even when taking psychiatric medicines, Wright never stopped believing that a robot or CPR dummy had replaced his son, Cuccia said.
Death Penalty For Bayou Killer
Sarah Deland, a Tulane University psychiatrist, agreed that Lee is retarded. But after she also said Lee wasn't qualified to become a pipefitter, prosecutors brought in two men who said Lee worked for a construction company in that capacity.
