NCJ Number
162166
Journal
Bulletin of the AAPL Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: (1982) Pages: 171-176
Date Published
1982
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article describes features of phencyclidine (PCP)-related crimes and compares those features with the classification of the types of violence derived from the authors' studies of chronic users of PCP.
Abstract
In a study of long-term PCP users, the authors observed the users recognized different stages of violent behavior and different capacities to modify their behavior. The authors separated the types of violence into four classifications based on thought processes, impulsivity, memory of event, and presence or lack of diminished capacity. This classification has been a useful tool in making recommendations to the courts for forensic determinations of criminal responsibility in cases where there was alleged PCP use. The nature of PCP may help determine its impact on a crime: (1) It has an enhancing effect, so normally quiet people become quieter, active and aggressive people become more so. (2) It appears to enhance the tendency to violence when combined with other drugs or alcohol. (3) Tolerance develops, so the drug's effects on a naive user may be more dramatic than on a chronic user. (4) It is slow to clear from the body. There is a chart describing the four types of violence the authors associate with PCP use, characteristics of the violent behavior, mental states, frequency, and comments. References