ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CRIMINALITY AND PSYCHOSIS - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDYOF 3984 EXPERT PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS

This study reports on 3984 expert psychiatric evaluations in eastern A lgeria over a period of 23 years. Factors associated with different ty pes of crimes or misdemeanors, particularly those associated with a di agnosis of psychosis in the case of a homicide or attempted homicide c ommitted by male subjects are described. Among the 1007 cases of homic ide and attempted homicide, the diagnosis of psychosis was made 200 ti mes (19.9 %). Psychotic subjects were older, more likely to have a pre vious psychiatric history, less likely to come from very large familie s, and less likely to have been raised by both their parents.