MAJOR MENTAL DISORDER AND CRIME - AN OVERVIEW

There is now compelling evidence of high rates of criminality and viol ence among both men and women who suffer from major mental disorders. This evidence comes from prospective follow-up studies of unselected b irth cohorts, from follow-up studies of psychiatric patients discharge d to the community, and from studies of mental disorders among convict ed offenders. These investigations have been conducted in several diff erent countries since policies of deinstitutionalizing the mentally di sordered have been implemented. Different explanations of the criminal ity of subjects with major mental disorders are discussed and evaluate d. It is proposed that there are two types of offenders with major men tal disorders: the early starter displays a stable pattern of antisoci al behaviour from a young age; the late starter begins offending only at about the time the symptoms of the major disorder become apparent. It is hypothesized that the major disorder is not related to the crimi nality of the early starters, while the symptoms of the disorder may b e directly related to the illegal behaviours of the late starters.