精神病杀人的行为特征与刑事责任能力评定的影响因素

目的探讨精神病凶杀行为特征，分析精神病杀人责任能力评定的影响因素。方法对2002年至2006年72例进行司法鉴定的凶杀案件资料分项列表调查，所得数据用SPSS11．0统计软件对神病杀人的行为特征与刑事责任能力评定影响因素进行相关分析。结果作案行为特征以地点、动机、罪错认识、行为隐蔽性、潜逃、自我保护与责任能力评定结果显著相关；暴力作案刑事责任能力评定量表与々家鉴定结论之间有较高的一致性。结论对凶杀案件行为特征的综合分析，町作为责任能力评定的客观参考依据；暴力作案刑事责任能力评定量表的应用为责任能力评定提供了，相对可靠的客观依据。     

Listening to voices: The use of phenomenology to differentiate malingered from genuine auditory verbal hallucinations

The experience of hearing a voice in the absence of an appropriate external stimulus, formally termed an auditory verbal hallucination (AVH), may be malingered for reasons such as personal financial gain, or, in criminal cases, to attempt a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. An accurate knowledge of the phenomenology of AVHs is central to assessing the veracity of claims to such experiences. We begin by demonstrating that some contemporary criminal cases still employ inaccurate conceptions of the phenomenology of AVHs to assess defendants' claims. The phenomenology of genuine, malingered, and atypical AVHs is then examined. We argue that, due to the heterogeneity of AVHs, the use of typical properties of AVHs as a yardstick against which to evaluate the veracity of a defendant's claims is likely to be less effective than the accumulation of instances of defendants endorsing statements of atypical features of AVHs. We identify steps towards the development of a formal tool for this purpose, and examine other conceptual issues pertinent to criminal cases arising from the phenomenology of AVHs.     

Involuntary outpatient treatment in patients with severe mental illness: A one-year follow-up study

Introduction

Involuntary outpatient treatment (IOT) aims to ensure adherence to therapy in patients with serious mental disease who are unaware of their illness and for whom treatment discontinuation carries a high risk of relapse.

Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of IOT in preventing relapse among patients with serious mental disease.

Method

A retrospective observational study was carried out on all of the patients (n = 140) receiving IOT in the city of Valencia, Spain. Hospital service uses (emergency care, admissions and mean stay times) during the 12 months before and after the introduction of IOT were compared.

Results

Patients with schizophrenia, delusional disorder or schizoaffective disorder showed a significant reduction in the number of admissions and days spent in the psychiatry ward during the year of IOT. The reduction in the number of visits to the emergency department was only significant for the patients with schizophrenia.

Discussion

We conclude that involuntary outpatient treatment may be effective for patients with serious mental disease who are unaware of their illness and for whom treatment discontinuation carries a high risk of relapse.