NCJ Number
55066
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (JANUARY 1963) Pages: 248-256
Date Published
1963
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THIS REVIEW OF RESEARCH ON EPILEPSY ARGUES THAT IT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS A MEDICAL, PSYCHIATRIC, AND OCCASIONAL LEGAL PROBLEM, MAINLY WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAUSISTICS, AND NOT AS A CRIMINOLOGICAL PROBLEM OF VITAL IMPORTANCE.
Abstract
WHEN THERE IS ANY GROUND FOR ASSUMING THAT AN INDIVIDUAL COMMITTING AN OFFENSE IS AN EPILEPTIC, THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE REFERRED TO A NEUROLOGIST OR NEUROPSYCHIATRIST, DUE TO THE POSTICTAL, TWILIGHT STATES AND PETIT MAL STATUS CHARACTERISTIC OF EPILEPTIC SEIZURES. SPECIALISTS WILL BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A DIAGNOSIS, DECIDE TO WHAT EXTENT A RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN THE OFFENSE AND AN INCTAL OR POSTICTAL PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL EPISODE, AND CONSIDER WHETHER THERE IS ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OFFENSE AND ANY ABNORMAL PERSONALITY STRUCTURE THAT MAY BE PRESENT INTERICTALLY IN THE EVENT OF EPILEPSY. WHILE IT IS NOT ARGUED THAT THE FREQUENCY OF AGGRESSIVE MANIFESTATIONS IN EPILEPTICS WOULD NOT BE HIGHER THAN IN NONEPILEPTIC INDIVIDUALS, OR THAT SUCH A MANIFESTATION WOULD NEVER TAKE THE SHAPE OF A SERIOUS OFFENSE, THE FOLLOWING IS STRESSED: (1) SUCH AGGRESSIVENESS WILL MOSTLY BE FOUND IN EPILEPTIC PATIENTS WITH MENTAL DETERIORATION, AND (2) EXPERIENCE GAINED IN RECENT TIMES, WHICH OFFERED POSSIBILITIES OF MORE EXACT DIAGNOSIS, SHOWS THAT SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENSES ARE NOT FOUND APPRECIABLY MORE OFTEN IN EPILEPTICS THAN IN THE AVERAGE POPULATION. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)