THE ART OF CRIME

This study sought to identify relationships between artwork, psychiatr ic diagnoses, and criminal behavior. A total of 80 patients were enrol led. Subjects were recruited from two psychiatric facilities, a forens ic psychiatry hospital, and a military inpatient psychiatry ward. A st andardized art task with demonstrated inter-rater reliability was admi nistered to both study groups. Statistical analysis examined the resul ts that were generated by exploring relationships between artwork, psy chiatric diagnoses, and criminal behavior. Statistical analysis also d ocumented the reliability of the art instrument used in this study. Ad ministration of the instrument and subsequent analysis revealed no sig nificant differences among psychiatric diagnoses, but a weak link betw een criminal history and artwork was detected.