ELDERLY OFFENDERS IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY MENTAL-HOSPITAL

Elderly offenders aged 60 and above constitute less than 8% of the pop ulation in a maximum security mental hospital, These offenders fall in to 2 groups: 1) first admission at or after the age of 50 and 2) first admission before 50, Fewer first time offenders committed homicide in the first group than those in the second group, Neuropsychiatric dist urbance and sex offending was common among male first time offenders i n the first group; in contrast, schizophrenia and violent offending ag ainst persons was found more often in the second group, It is argued t hat elderly first time offenders should be given adequate neuropsychia tric assessment. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.