NCJ Number
56637
Journal
EAST AFRICAN MEDICAL JOURNAL Volume: 55 Issue: 8 Dated: (AUGUST 1978) Pages: 360-365
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS RESULTS OF A STUDY OF 141 MENTALLYILL CRIMINALS, AND INDICATES THAT THE SUBJECTS WERE NOT PREDISPOSED TO COMMIT ANY PARTICULAR TYPE OF CRIME, AND THAT NO SPECIFIC OFFENSE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
Abstract
A STUDY OF 141 MENTALLY-ILL CRIMINALS AT THE MATHARI MENTAL HOSPITAL IN KENYA DETERMINED WHETHER MENTALLY-ILL PERSONS ARE PRONE TO COMMITTING A PARTICULAR TYPE OF OFFENSE, AND WHETHER THERE IS AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ONE TYPE OF MENTAL DISORDER WITH ONE PARTICULAR CRIME. DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL ILLNESS WAS MADE BY THE CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST-IN-CHARGE, AFTER THE REFERRAL OF A JUDGE OR MAGISTRATE. BECAUSE JUDGES ARE MORE LIKELY TO NOTICE ILLNESS ONLY IN SEVERE CASES, 95 PERCENT OF THE OFFENDERS REFERRED WERE FOUND TO HAVE MENTAL ILLNESS. THE MAJORITY OF THOSE REFERRED WERE DIAGNOSED AS SCHIZOPHRENICS, AND OVER 90 PERCENT WERE MALES, SUGGESTING THAT CRIMINALITY IS A MASCULINE BEHAVIOR. THE MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS ALSO WERE UNDER 30-YEARS OLD. ALTHOUGH ALCOHOL'S EFFECTS PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, FEW ALCOHOLICS WERE FOUND IN THE SAMPLE GROUP, SUGGESTING THAT EVEN CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS ARE BEING HELD CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR DISEASE. THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOPATHS FROM THE SAMPLE GROUP ALSO INDICATES THAT MENTAL ILLNESS WHICH IS NOT CONSPICUOUS MAY BE IGNORED BY JUDICIAL OFFICIALS. ALTHOUGH 27 OF THE 80 SCHIZOPHRENICS HAD COMMITTED MURDER, NO SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION WAS FOUND BETWEEN ANY TYPE OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND SPECIFIC CRIMES. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)