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Homicides with Mutilation of the Victim's Body |
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| Authors: | Helinä Häkkänen-Nyholm PhD ; Ghitta Weizmann-Henelius PhD ; Stephan Salenius PhD ; Nina Lindberg PhD ; and Eila Repo-Tiihonen PhD |
| Institution: | Forensic Laboratory, National Bureau of Investigation, PO Box 285, Vantaa 01301, Finland.; Department of Psychology, PO Box 9, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland.; Vanha Vaasa Hospital, PO Box 13, Vaasa 65381, Finland.; Vantaa Prison, PO Box 160, Vantaa 01361, Finland.; Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, PO Box 280 00029 HUS, Finland.; University of Kuopio, Niuvanniemi Hospital, PO Box 70240, Finland. |
| Abstract: | 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. |
| Keywords: | forensic science forensic psychiatry homicide mutilation psychopathology offender profiling psychopathy |