NCJ Number
55293
Journal
Lancet Volume: 1 Dated: (JUNE 1971) Pages: 1173-1176
Date Published
1971
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS DISCUSSION OF THE POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EPILEPSY AND CRIME FOCUSES ON AN ENGLISH SURVEY OF EPILEPTIC PRISONERS AND A SAMPLE OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM EPILEPSY.
Abstract
THE CASES OF FOUR PRISONERS WHO HAD EPILEPTIC FITS JUST BEFORE COMMITTING A CRIME AND FIVE WHO HAD SUCH AN EPISODE JUST AFTER COMMITTING A CRIME ARE REVIEWED, ALONG WITH FOUR OTHER CASES IN WHICH A POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION COULD BE CONSIDERED TO EXIST BETWEEN A CRIME AND AUTOMATISM. NONE OF THE CASES SHOWED CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF AUTOMATIC CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. OF 32 PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE OF VIOLENT CRIMES OR BEHAVIOR, ONLY 2 HAD PROBABLY OFFENDED OR ACTED OUT AS PART OF THE ICTAL PROCESS FROM WHICH THEY SUFFERED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT AUTOMATIC BEHAVIOR IS A RARE EXPLANATION FOR THE CRIMES OF EPILEPTIC PATIENTS; THE EXCESS PREVALENCE OF EPILEPSY UNCOVERED IN THE PRISON POPULATION CANNOT BE EXPLAINED IN THIS WAY. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--KBL)