CRIMINALITY AND VIOLENCE IN EPILEPTIC PRISONERS

• NCJ Number: 57070
• Journal: British Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 118 Issue: 544 Dated: (MARCH 1977) Pages: 337-343
• Author(s): J GUNN; J BONN
• Date Published: 1971
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Headley Bros Ltd
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: SYNOPSIS OF THIS PAPER APPEARED IN THE OCTOBER 1970 JOURNAL

Annotation

DIFFERENCES IN THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OF 158 EPILEPTIC AND 180 NONEPILEPTIC PRISONERS IN 20 PENAL INSTITUTIONS IN ENGLAND AND WALES ARE EXPLORED.

Abstract

THE DIMENSIONS CONSIDERED ARE THE NATURE OF CURRENT AND PAST OFFENSES AND THE DEGREES OF VIOLENCE AND IMPULSIVENESS IN THE CURRENT OFFENSE. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EPILEPTICS AND NONEPILEPTICS ARE FOUND. LIKE OTHER PRISONERS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF EPILEPTIC INMATES WERE NONVIOLENT THIEVES. WITHIN THE EPILEPTIC GROUP, THOSE DIAGNOSED AS SUFFERING FROM TEMPORAL LOBE EPILEPSY HAD HIGHER OVERALL RATES OF PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS, BUT THOSE WITH IDIOPATHIC (OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN) EPILEPSY HAD HIGHER RATES OF CONVICTIONS FOR VIOLENT CRIMES. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FACT THAT HOSPITALIZED EPILEPTIC OFFENDERS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SAMPLE ARE POINTED OUT. THE SCALES DEVISED TO MEASURE THE DEGREES OF VIOLENCE AND IMPULSIVENESS INVOLVED IN OFFENSES ARE DESCRIBED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)