Some Crimonolgical and Psychiatric Aspects of Homicide in Iceland

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between some criminological and psychiatric aspects of homicide in Iceland for the period 1900–1979. During this period there were 45 homicide incidents, involving 52 victims and 47 offenders. 16 (34·0 per cent) of the offenders were considered to be psychiatrically ill or subnormal at the time of their offence and a further 17 (36·2 per cent) suffered from personality disorder, alcoholism or drug dependency. A relationship was found between psychiatric abnormality and such variables as day and time of offence, previous criminal record, method of killing, relationship between victim and offender, motive, and action after offence. These findings are generally consistent with previous homicide research.