This paper reviews major studies that have examined a possible relationship between mental disorder and violent offending. Such studies have either examined (a) the prevalence of violence in the mentally disordered or (b) the prevalence of mental disorder among the violent. Indices of violence used include (a) arrest rate, (b) conviction rate and (c) prevalence of violent behaviour in psychiatric inpatients, representative community samples and birth cohorts. It is concluded that although the mentally disordered do face an elevated risk of violent behaviour/offending, this risk is largely confined to those suffering from severe or long-term psychotic symptoms or psychopathic disorders.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbramsonM.F. (1972) The criminalization of mentally disordered behaviour: a possible side-effect of a new mental health law. Hosp. & Community Psychiat.23, 101–5.
2.
American Psychiatric Association (1980) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn) (DSM-III). Washington DC, American Psychiatric Association.
3.
American Psychiatric Association (1994) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn) (DSM-IV). Washington DC, American Psychiatric Association.
4.
American Psychological Association (1986) Brief amicus curae, in Colorado v. Connelly. Washington DC. American Psychiatric Association.
5.
BinderR.L.McNielD.E. (1990) The relationship of gender to violent behaviour in acutely disturbed psychiatric patients. J. Clin. Psychiat.51, 110–14.
6.
California Department of Corrections, Office of Health Care Services (1989) Current Description, Evaluation, and Recommendations for Treatment of Mentally Disordered Criminal Offenders. Sacramento, CA, California Department of Corrections.
7.
CraigT.J. (1982) An epidemiologic study of problems associated with violence among psychiatric inpatients. Am. J. Psychiat.139, 1262–6.
8.
DohrenwendB.P.ShroutP.EgriG.MendelsohnF. (1980) Measures of non-specific psychological distress and other dimensions of psychopathology in the general population. Arch. Gen. Psychiat.37, 1229–36.
9.
ForthA.E.HartS.D.HareR.D. (1990) Assessment of psychopathy in male young offenders. Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology2, 342–4.
10.
HareR.D. (1991) The Hare Psychopathy Checklist — Revised. Toronto, Multi-Health Systems.
11.
HareR.D.McPhersonL.M. (1984) Violent and criminal behaviour by criminal psychopaths. Int. J. Law & Psychiat.7, 33–50.
12.
HareR.D.McPhersonL.M.ForthA.E. (1988) Male psychopaths and their criminal careers. J. Consulting & Clin. Psychol.56, 710–14.
13.
HeilbrunK.GustaffsonD.HartS.D.HareR.D.Psychopathy and the Prediction of Violence in Forensic Patients. Manuscript in preparation.
14.
HodginsS. (1992) Mental disorder, intellectual deficiency, and crime: evidence from a birth cohort. Arch. Gen. Psychiat.49, 476–83.
15.
KandelE.R. (1991) Disorders of thought: schizophrenia. In: KandelE.R.SchwartzJ.H.JesselT.M. (eds) Principles of Neural Science (3rd edn). New York, Elsevier.
16.
KlassenD.O'ConnorW.A. (1988) Crime, inpatient admissions, and violence among male mental patients. Int. J. Law & Psychiat.11, 305–12.
17.
KossonD.S.SmithS.S.NewmanJ.P. (1990) Evaluating the construct validity of psychopathy on black and white male inmates: three preliminary studies. J. Abnormal Psychol.99, 250–9.
18.
LindqvistP. (1986) Criminal homicide in northern Sweden 1970–1981: alcohol intoxication, alcohol abuse and mental disease. Int. J. Law & Psychiat.8, 19–37.
19.
LindqvistP.AllebeckP. (1990) Schizophrenia and crime: a longitudinal follow-up of 644 schizophrenics in Stockholm. Br. J. Psychiat.157, 345–50.
20.
LinkB.G.AndrewsH.CullenF.T. (1992) The violent and illegal behaviour of mental patients reconsidered. Am. Sociological Review57, 275–92.
21.
McNielD.E.BinderR.L.GreenfieldT.K. (1988) Predictors of violence in civilly committed acute psychiatric patients. Am. J. Psychiat.145, 965–70.
22.
MartellD.A. (1991) Homeless mentally disordered offenders and violent crimes: preliminary research findings. Law & Human Behaviour15, 333–47.
23.
MonahanJ. (1973) The psychiatrization of criminal behaviour: a reply. Hosp. & Community Psychiat.24, 105–7.
24.
MonahanJ. (1992) Mental disorder and violence: another look. In: HodginsS. (ed.) Mental Disorder and Crime. London, Sage.
25.
National Mental Health Association (1987) Stigma: A Lack of Awareness and Understanding. Alexandria, VA, National Mental Health Association.
26.
OrtmannJ. (1981) Pskisk ofvigelse og kriminel adfaerd en under sogelse af 11533 maend fodt i 1953 i det metropolitane omrade kobenhaun. Rapport til Justitsministeriet, Direktorat for kriminal forsorgen, Forkninssrapport, No. 17.
27.
RegierD.A.MyersJ.K.KramerM.RobinsL.N.BlazerD.G.HoughR.L.EatonW.W.LockeB.Z. (1984) The NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program: historical context, major objectives, and study population characteristics. Arch. Gen. Psychiat.41, 934–41.
28.
ReidW.H. (ed.) (1978) The Psychopath: A Comprehensive Study of Antisocial Disorders and Behaviour. New York, Brunner Mazel.
29.
RobinsL.N.HeizerJ.E.CroughanJ.RatcliffK.S. (1981) National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Its history, characteristics, and validity. Arch. Gen. Psychiat.38, 381–9.
30.
RogersR.NussbaumD.GillisR. (1988) Command hallucinations and criminality: a clinical quandary. Bull. Am. Acad. Psychiat. Law16, 251–8.
31.
RothL. (1980) Correctional psychiatry. In: CurranW.McGarryA.PettyC. (eds) Modern Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Forensic Science. Philadelphia, Davis.
32.
SchuermanL.A.KobrinS. (1984) Exposure of community mental health clients to the criminal justice system: client/criminal or patient/prisoner. In: TeplinL.A. (ed.) Mental Health and Criminal Justice. Beverly Hills, CA, Sage.
33.
SerinR.C. (1991) Psychopathy and violence in criminals. J. Interpersonal Violence4, 435–48.
34.
SteadmanH.J.CocozzaJ.J.MelickM.E. (1978a) Explaining the increased arrest rate among mental patients: the changing clientele of state hospitals. Am. J. Psychiat.135, 816–20.
35.
SteadmanH.J.VanderwystD.RibnerS. (1978b) Comparing arrest rates of mental patients and criminal offenders. Am. J. Psychiat.135, 1218–20.
36.
SteadmanH.J.FabisiakS.DvorskinJ.HoloheanE. (1987) A survey of mental disability among state prison inmates. Hosp. & Community Psychiat.38, 1086–90.
37.
SwansonJ.W.HolzerC.E.GanjuV.K.JonoR.T. (1991) Violence and psychiatric disorder in the community: evidence from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area surveys. Hosp. & Community Psychiat.41, 761–70.
38.
TardiffK.SweillamA. (1980) Assault, suicide, and mental illness. Arch. Gen. Psychiat.37, 164–9.
39.
TardiffK.KoenigsbergH.W. (1985) Assaultive behaviour among psychiatric outpatients. Am. J. Psychiat.142, 960–3.
40.
TaylorP.GunnJ. (1984) Violence and psychosis I — risk of violence among psychotic men. BMJ.288, 1945–9.
41.
TeplinL.A. (1984) Criminalizing mental disorder: the comparative arrest rate of the mentally ill. Am. Psychologist39, 794–803.
42.
TeplinL.A. (1990) The prevalence of severe mental disorder among male urban jail detainees: comparison with the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program. Am. J. Public Health80, 663–9.
43.
VolavkaJ. (1995) Neurobiology of Violence. Washington DC, American Psychiatric Press.
44.
WesselyS.C.CastleD.DouglasA.J.TaylorP.J. (1994) The criminal careers of incident cases of schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine24, 483–502.
45.
WongS. (1984) Criminal and institutional behaviours of psychopaths. Programs Branch Users Report. Ottawa, Ministry of the Solicitor-General of Canada.
