NCJ Number
70508
Date Published
1977
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Connections betwen mental illness and recidivism in Polish offenders are analyzed.
Abstract
Data derive from 50 recidivists punished at least five times each before admission to the Hospital of Forensic Psychiatry in Grodzisk Mazowiecki. Subjects were admitted to the hospital because of earlier psychiatric problems, (20 cases) abnormal behavior in court (25 cases), and repeated criminality (only 5 cases). Of the 50 subjects, 34 were brought up in abnormally disadvantageous family circumstances. Such individuals were deprived of proper upbringing, did not finish school, had no job stability, and began drinking heavily and engaging in sexual activity at an early age. All exhibited early behavioral disturbances as well as reticence, obstinateness and willfulness. Presently, all but 14 have normal intelligence levels, and only 8 display electroencephalographic abnormalities. Diagnoses include 22 cases of constitutional psychopathy, 18 cases of sociopathy (i.e., character disorders caused by environment), 7 cases of characterpathy (i.e., character disorders caused by organic changes in the brain), 2 cases of psychoorganic syndrome, and a single case of chronic alcoholism. Clinical material suggests that almost all recidivists studied have personality disorders which sometimes involve biological factors. The dominant group exhibits personality abnormalities for which environmental factors are responsible. Criminality can best be prevented by averting personality distortion in young people, especially those from marginal families. Resocialization should involve all penitentiary personnel and should aim at improving the environment to which recidivists return. Finally, investigation and prevention of recidivism require multidisciplinary efforts. --in English.