Early criminal recidivism among mentally disordered offenders

Criminal recidivism was studied during 2 years in a Swedish population-based cohort (N = 318) of mentally disordered male offenders who had undergone a pretrial forensic psychiatric investigation, been convicted in subsequent trials, and been sentenced to forensic psychiatric treatment (FPT; n = 152), prison (n = 116), or noncustodial sanctions (n = 50). Recidivism was analysed in relation to index sanctions, levels of supervision, diagnoses, and criminological factors. Significantly lower recidivism in the FPT group was related to lower crime rates during periods at conditional liberty in this group alone, and recidivism was significantly more common among offenders with at least one of the two diagnoses of substance abuse disorder and personality disorder than among those with psychotic or other mental disorders alone. Age at index crime and number of previous crimes emerged as significant predictors of recidivism. The results of this study suggest that the relapse rates depend as much on level of supervision as on individual characteristics.     

Homeless mentally disordered offenders and violent crimes

This study examines the prevalence of homelessness in a cross-sectional sample of 150 patients retained in a maximum-security hospital for mentally disordered offenders in New York City. The homeless mentally ill comprise only 2% of the city's mentally ill population, yet they account for 50% of the admissions to this forensic facility from the community. Compared to population base rate estimates, forensic patients are homeless at 25 times the rate found in the rest of the city's mentally disordered population and are 50 times more likely to be homeless than the general population. Further, there is a significant association between homelessness at the time of the instant offense and charges for violent crimes, after controlling for age, sex, race, and diagnosis. These data suggest that homelessness greatly increases the risk that mentally disordered persons will be forensically hospitalized and is closely associated with indictments for violent criminal behavior. Alternative explanations for these findings are discussed, emphasizing risk, vulnerability, and criminalization perspectives.Some of the data reported in this article were presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, February 24, 1990, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Thanks to Joel Dvoskin, John Monahan, Edward Mulvey, Charles D. H. Parry, Nancy Pruett, Henry Steadman, and three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article.     

精神障碍吸毒者刑事责任能力研究

随着毒品在我国的蔓延,吸毒的人数渐渐增多,精神障碍的吸毒者犯罪也开始引起相关部门的注意,对这一特殊犯罪人群能否比照精神病人来处理意见不统一。笔者介绍了其他诸国的相关法律规定,结合本国国情和相类似的法律规定,阐明了对精神障碍的吸毒者犯罪一般作完全刑事责任能力评定为最优的观点。     

精神障碍吸毒者刑事责任能力研究

随着毒品在我国的蔓延,吸毒的人数渐渐增多,精神障碍的吸毒者犯罪也开始引起相关部门的注意,对这一特殊犯罪人群能否比照精神病人来处理意见不统一.笔者介绍了其他诸国的相关法律规定,结合本国国情和相类似的法律规定,阐明了对精神障碍的吸毒者犯罪一般作完全刑事责任能力评定为最优的观点.     

A profile of mentally disordered offenders admitted to inpatient psychiatric services in the United States

This research note presents data about mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) treated in inpatient psychiatric services. Data are derived from 1980 admission surveys by the Survey and Reports Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). These data report for the first time inpatient services provided to MDOs by non-Federal general and private hospitals. A total of 31,773 MDOs were admitted, with 85% going to state and county mental hospitals. The largest group, including admissions for evaluation, was ISTs (58%), followed by mentally disordered prisoners (32%), NGRIs (8%), and MDSOs (3%). Women and whites tended to be overrepresented among MDOs as compared to prison and jail inmates. Clear diagnostic differences by legal status were found, with schizophrenia predominant among NGRIs (81%) and alcohol and drug abuse disorders more frequent among ISTs. Overall, state and county hospitals in both 1967 and 1980 were the primary locus of care for mentally disordered offenders.     

Follow-up after release of insanity acquittees, mentally disordered offenders, and convicted felons

The authors compared 127 insanity acquittees in the state of Maryland with a matched prisoner control group of 127 convicted felons and a comparison group of 135 mentally disordered prisoners transferred for hospital treatment. Subjects were followed from five to 17 years after discharge from hospital or release from prison. Subsequent arrests, hospitalizations, employment, and functioning of these large cohorts were studied and compared. The study focused on outcome data at five years after release. The authors found that, at five years postrelease, 54.3 percent of the insanity acquittees, 65.4 percent of the prisoner control group, and 73.3 percent of the mentally disordered prison transfers were rearrested. At 17 years postrelease, rearrest rates increased to 65.8 percent of the insanity acquittees, 75.4 percent of the prisoner controls, and 78.4 percent of the prison transfers. Significantly more mentally disordered prison transfers than NGRIs were rehospitalized during the follow-up period. Overall, the prison transfers had significantly poorer outcomes on nearly all variables studied compared with the other two groups. The authors conclude that although there were a substantial number of rearrests among insanity acquittees, that group had a statistically significantly lower rate of criminal activity compared with the other two groups of offenders.     

An evaluation of a maximum security therapeutic community for psychopaths and other mentally disordered offenders

Psychopaths present serious problems for the criminal justice system because they are responsible for many serious crimes and appear to be very resistant to treatment. The present study was a retrospective evaluation of the efficacy of a maximum security therapeutic community program in reducing recidivism among mentally disordered offenders, some of whom were psychopaths. The study employed a matched group, quasiexperimental design. The results showed that, compared to no program (in most cases prison), treatment was associated with lower recidivism (especially violent recidivism) for nonpsychopaths and higher violent recidivism for psychopaths. The clinical and research utility of Hare's Psychopathy Checklist was strongly supported.     

Mentally disordered offenders in Sweden.

This article reviews the laws in Sweden concerning mentally disordered offenders. It also contains some figures on the relationship between mentally disordered offenders and other offenders sentenced to prison. The rules in Sweden are very different from other countries in that the responsibility concept has been abolished and thus there is no acquittal on a psychiatric basis.