Articlebronze2004

Homicide and mental illness in New Zealand, 1970–2000

Alexander I. F. Simpson · Brian McKenna · Andrew K. Moskowitz · Jeremy Skipworth

102 citations0/0 files storedThe British Journal of Psychiatry

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Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending Crime Patterns and Interventions Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Homicides by mentally ill persons have led to political concerns about deinstitutionalisation. AIMS: To provide accurate information about the contribution of mental illness to homicide rates. METHOD: Retrospective study of homicide in New Zealand from 1970 to 2000, using data from government sources. 'Mentally abnormal homicide'perpetrators were defined as those found unfitto stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, convicted and sentenced to psychiatric committal, or convicted of infanticide. Group and time trends were analysed. RESULTS: Mentally abnormal homicides constituted 8.7% of the 1498 homicides. The annual rate of such homicides was 1.3 per million population, static over the period. Total homicides increased by over 6% per year from 1970 to 1990, then declined from 1990 to 2000. The percentage of all homicides committed by the mentally abnormal group fell from 19.5% in 1970 to 5.0% in 2000. Ten percent of perpetrators had been admitted to hospital during the month before the offence; 28.6% had had no prior contact with mental health services. Victims were most commonly known to the perpetrator (74%). CONCLUSIONS: Deinstitutionalisation appears not to be associated with an increased risk of homicide by people who are mentally ill.

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References

2013Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 2004Criminal Offending in Schizophrenia Over a 25-Year Period Marked by Deinstitutionalization and Increasing Prevalence of Comorbid Substance Use Disorders 1999Homicides by people with mental illness: myth and reality 1996Mental Disorders and Homicidal Behavior in Finland 2000Community care and criminal offending in schizophrenia 1987Psychotic homicides in Copenhagen from 1959 to 1983 1983The epidemiology of abnormal homicide and murder followed by suicide 1992The prevalence of major mental disorders among homicide offenders

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2005Community Treatment Orders: International Comparisons 2007Media Coverage of Homicide Involving Mentally Disordered Offenders: A Matched Comparison Study 2009Risque d’homicide et troubles mentaux graves : revue critique de la littérature 2008Penrose's Law revisited: The relationship between mental institution beds, prison population and crime rate 2008Countering the stigmatisation and discrimination of people with mental health problems in Europe

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