Homicides with Mutilation of the Victim's Body

Abstract:  Information on homicide offenders guilty of mutilation is sparse. The current study estimates the rate of mutilation of the victim's body in Finnish homicides and compares sociodemographic characteristics, crime history, life course development, psychopathy, and psychopathology of these and other homicide offenders. Crime reports and forensic examination reports of all offenders subjected to forensic examination and convicted for a homicide in 1995–2004 ( n  = 676) were retrospectively analyzed for offense and offender variables and scored with the Psychopathy Check List Revised. Thirteen homicides (2.2%) involved mutilation. Educational and mental health problems in childhood, inpatient mental health contacts, self-destructiveness, and schizophrenia were significantly more frequent in offenders guilty of mutilation. Mutilation bore no significant association with psychopathy or substance abuse. The higher than usual prevalence of developmental difficulties and mental disorder of this subsample of offenders needs to be recognized.     

精神分裂症患者病理性“正当防卫”行为的研究

目的探讨病理性防卫对精神分裂症患者凶杀行为的影响及相关犯罪学的特征。方法以61例具有病理性防卫行为的精神分裂症患者凶杀案为研究组,以73例无病理性防卫行为的精神分裂症患者凶杀案为对照组,采用犯罪学调查表进行调查分析。结果具有病理性防卫行为的精神分裂症患者凶杀案中幻觉（χ2=5.69,P〈0.05）及被害妄想（χ2=28.87,P〈0.01）多见;作案动机以病理动机突出（χ2=50.22,P〈0.01）,很少出现现实动机（χ2=15.57,P〈0.01）,案发时行为的紧迫性十分明显（χ2=63.17,P〈0.01）;刑事责任能力评定为无责任能力者明显多于对照组（χ2=16.12,P〈0.01）;疾病诊治情况,研究组未经诊治情况较多见（χ2=5.09,P〈0.05）。结论病理性防卫与正当防卫理论存在某些相同点,在具有病理性防卫行为的凶杀案中,借鉴正当防卫理论,对评定刑事责任能力具有一定的参考价值。     

105例凶杀案责任能力评定分析

目的探讨鉴定医生评定凶杀案例责任能力时的主要依据及影响因素。方法对总计105例凶杀案的精神病司法鉴定案例进行回顾性分析。结果无责任能力者41例(39.0%);限定责任能力者28例(26.7%);完全责任能力者36例(34.3%);与刑事责任能力的评定密切相关的因素有:凶杀行为是否由精神病理因素引起(Gamma=0.906,P=0.000),临床诊断是否为重性精神病(Gamma=0.761,P=0.000),被害人是否为家人亲属(Gamma=0.412,P=0.000)。结论从技术层面看,鉴定医生评价责任能力考虑的三个主要方面按重要性依次是:凶杀行为是否由精神病理因素引起,被鉴定人是否患有重性精神病,被害对象是否为家人亲属。     

A Catathymic Infanticide

Abstract: A case of infanticide committed by a 37‐year‐old married man, the father of three sons, is reported. Clinically depressed since adolescence, and also diagnosed with obsessive‐compulsive disorder and a dependent personality, the subject began to worry about killing someone a decade before the homicide. Increasingly disabled by his major depression, unable to work, and confined in his home, the idea that his only recourse was to kill one of his sons became fixed and frequent. Following his fourth psychiatric hospitalization, he took his 13‐month‐old son home from day care and drowned him in the bathtub. He then called the police and reported his crime. This sudden act of intentional killing was followed by a period of emotional relief and calmness, clearly illustrating the three stages of chronic catathymic homicide.     

Prevalence of delusional jealousy in psychiatric disorders

Delusional jealousy is a known risk factor for violence and homicide, but little is known about its prevalence in psychiatric disorders. We therefore reviewed retrospectively the psychopathological symptoms at admission and discharge, assessed with the AMDP system, of all patients admitted to the Psychiatric Hospital, University of Munich, Germany, from January 2000 through December 2008 (n=14,309). We identified 72 cases of delusional jealousy (0.5% of the whole sample). The prevalence was highest in schizophrenia and other psychoses (1.3%), and more of the patients with delusional jealousy were men (43 of 72, 59.7%). One-fifth (15 of 72, 20.8%) of the patients with delusional jealousy were aggressive at admission (vs. 6.2% of the total sample). We conclude that delusional jealousy is a comparatively rare phenomenon that is most frequent in schizophrenia and related psychoses. Quite a number of affected patients are aggressive, which may indicate a risk of future violence.     

刑事责任能力评定中“待分类的精神病性障碍”的诊断分析

目的探讨"待分类的精神病性障碍"诊断在刑事责任能力鉴定中的形成原因、判定原则及处理措施。方法分析比较四川西南司法鉴定中心2006年1月至2007年7月刑事责任能力鉴定案例中12例诊断为"待分类的精神病性障碍"的鉴定资料。结果形成此诊断的主要原因是鉴定资料不充分,描述的被鉴定人精神异常表现不具体、不典型(83.3%),或鉴定资料描述的精神异常与鉴定检查时发现的情况不一致。但是即使诊断为"待分类的精神病性障碍",仍可以从作案动机、有无逃逸等评定其刑事责任能力。12例诊断为"待分类的精神病性障碍"的被鉴定人9例(75%)判定为具有限制刑事责任能力,3例(25%)判定为无刑事责任能力。结论"待分类的精神病性障碍"是一种暂时性诊断,在一定程度上可以在司法精神病鉴定中使用,但应慎用。     

Matricide and Two Sexual Femicides by a Male Strangler with a Transgender Sadomasochistic Identity

Abstract: While violence against sexual minorities is a well‐known phenomenon, sexual homicides committed by men with cross‐dressing or transsexual identity are not, because they are relatively few. We report a 23‐year follow‐up of the case of a transvestite, possibly transsexual, man who killed his mother by strangulation at the age of 20, and later in two separate cases strangled a female victim towards whom he felt sexual desire. He reported being sexually aroused by being strangled himself. The case raises questions concerning legislation which does not allow life‐long control of criminals.     

Correlative Factors for Organic Psychotic Symptoms in Patients Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective To investigate the correlative factors for organic psychotic symptoms following trau matic brain injury （TBI）. Methods In the current study, 391 subjects who had undergone forensic iden tification of the organic mental disorders due to TBI were included, both the demographic and posttrau matic information collected. The relevant data were statistically analyzed in those confirmed as organic psychotic syndrome according to Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders 3rd version （CCMD3）. Re suits Fiftytwo subjects （13.3%） were identified as organic psychotic symptoms. The chisquare test showed that the detectable organic psychotic symptoms were associated with the marriage status, damage nature, injury severity and treatment, and the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed good fitness of treatment and injury severity with the regression model （OR=0.044, 95% CI： 0.0170.114; OR=2.145, 95% CI： 1.201-3.832, respectively）. Conclusion The risks of organic psychotic symptoms following TBI can be involved in the alternative of craniotomy for the cases with trauma and moderate brain injury.     

72例情感性精神障碍司法精神病鉴定分析

目的 探讨情感性精神障碍患者作案特征.方法 对杭州市公安局安康医院2000-2004年鉴定的72例情感性精神障碍案例进行分析.结果 情感性精神障碍患者作案与发作次数有一定关联性,躁狂症与抑郁症危害行为有统计学意义(P<0.01).情感性障碍患者作案特征与精神分裂症不同,主要是作案的病理性动机较少,现实动机较多.结论 反复发作是情感性精神障碍患者作案的预警性指标.在作案特征上与精神分裂症有各自不同的特点,可能与病因、病情发展、症状表现和严重程度等差异有关.     

Filicide, attempted filicide, and psychotic disorders

The objective of the study was to describe and discuss the cases of two women who faced criminal charges, one for attempting to murder her three children and the other for killing her 1-year-old boy. After a forensic psychiatric assessment of their level of criminal responsibility, these patients were considered not guilty by reason of insanity and were committed to forensic mental hospitals. These two patients received a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria. In both cases, psychotic symptoms were present before the manifestation of violent behavior, in the form of persecutory delusions, auditory hallucinations, and pathological impulsivity. The investigation into cases of filicide may contribute powerfully to expand our understanding of motivational factors underlying this phenomenon and enhance the odds for effective prevention.     

The paraphilia-related disorders: an investigation of the relevance of the concept in sexual murderers

Paraphilic disorders (PAs) and sexual preoccupation are known risk factors for recidivism in sexual offenders. Nonparaphilic sexual excessive behaviors-so-called paraphilia-related disorders (PRDs), like paraphilias, are also characterized by sexual preoccupation and volitional impairment and can be diagnosed in paraphilic men. The prevalence and clinical significance of PRDs in sexual homicide perpetrators, however, is unknown. We investigated the relationship between PAs and PRDs retrospectively in a sample of 161 sexual murderers. Four groups were compared: men without a PA or a PRD diagnosis, men with at least one PRD but no PA, men with at least one PA but no PRD, and finally, those with a combination of both (PA+PRD). The PA+PRD group had the most lifetime cumulative sexual impulsivity disorders, more developmental problems, the highest persistent frequency of sexual activity, the highest number of previous sexual offences, more sexual sadism, and compulsive masturbation. Men of the PRD subsample had suffered more from childhood sexual abuse, showed more promiscuity, psychopathy, and alcohol problems. The use of the PRD concept in this special offender group should be further investigated with prospectively designed studies.     

胆囊收缩素基因-45C/T多态性与精神分裂症的关联

目的 探讨精神分裂症人群胆囊收缩素(cholecystokinin,CCK)基因-45C/T位点遗传多态性及其法医学意义.方法采用双向等位基因特异性PCR方法对中国北方汉族群体207例精神分裂症患者(患者组)和202例健康个体(对照组)CCK基因-45C/T位点多态性进行检测.采用X<'2>检验对照组人群中基因型分布是...     

Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry Profiles Predict Later Risk for Criminal Behavior and Violent Crimes in Former Inpatients with Affective Disorder*

Abstract: Few studies have investigated criminal and violent behavior in patients with affective disorders. We reviewed the national crime register for records of criminal offenses committed by 1561 patients with affective disorders and studied the predictive value of certain psychopathological symptoms assessed with the Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP) system concerning future criminal behavior. Sixty‐five (4.2%) patients had been convicted in the 7–12 years after discharge (307 cases). Patients with the AMDP syndrome mania had a significantly higher risk for later criminal behavior. The combination with the hostility syndrome further increased the risk. These findings are in line with previous data indicating a higher risk for later criminal behavior in patients with a manic/bipolar disorder compared to depressive disorder. As previously demonstrated in another sample of schizophrenic patients, the AMDP syndromes mania (and hostility) is associated with a higher risk of later criminal behavior.