PSYCHIATRY, DANGEROUSNESS AND THE REPETITIVELY VIOLENT OFFENDER

• NCJ Number: 54927
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Dated: (SUMMER 1978) Pages: 226-231
• Author(s): H J STEADMAN; J COCOZZA
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH20367
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Northwestern University
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE ABILITY OF PSYCHIATRISTS TO PREDICT THE FUTURE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OF CRIMINALS IS EXAMINED IN THIS STUDY OF 257 FELONY CASES FROM NEW YORK CITY.

Abstract

THERE IS A WIDELY HELD ASSUMPTION THAT MENTAL ILLNESS AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR ARE ASSOCIATED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THIS RELATIONSHIP AND THE ABILITY OF PSYCHIATRISTS TO PREDICT FUTURE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OF CRIMINALS. THIS STUDY USED AS ITS SAMPLE 257 MALE, INDICTED, FELONY DEFENDANTS FOUND INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL. ALL SUBJECTS WERE DEFINED AS PERSONS WHO ARE SO MENTALLY ILL OR MENTALLY DEFECTIVE THAT THEIR PRESENCE IN AN INSTITUTION IS DANGEROUS TO THE SAFETY OF OTHER PATIENTS, THE STAFF OF THE INSTITUTION, AND THE COMMUNITY. IN 157 OF THE 257 CASES, 60 PERCENT OF THE INDICTED, FELONY DEFENDANTS WERE FOUND DANGEROUS BY THE EXAMINING PSYCHIATRISTS. DATA FOR THIS STUDY WERE COLLECTED FROM THE PSYCHIATRIC REPORTS AND FROM OBSERVATIONS OF THE OFFENDER'S HEARINGS. IT WAS FOUND THAT PSYCHIATRISTS OFTEN ALLUDED TO CRITERIA SUCH AS DELUSIONAL OR IMPAIRED THINKING AND IMPULSIVENESS OR UNPREDICTABILITY AS PREDICTORS OF FUTURE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. HOWEVER, PSYCHIATRISTS JUST AS OFTEN REFERRED TO THE CURRENT ALLEGED OFFENSE, HISTORIES OF ASSAULTS, ARRESTS, AND HOSPITALIZATIONS AS PSYCHIATRIC JUSTIFICATIONS FOR FUTURE VIOLENCE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUT OF THE WIDE RANGE OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC, CRIMINAL, HOSPITAL HISTORY, AND DIAGNOSTIC VARIABLES, ONLY ONE WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IN DIFFERENTIATING THOSE DEFENDANTS FOUND TO BE DANGEROUS FROM THOSE FOUND TO BE NONDANGEROUS BY THE PSYCHIATRISTS. THIS VARIABLE WAS CURRENT ALLEGED OFFENSE. REGARDLESS OF AGE, CRIMINAL HISTORY, MENTAL HOSPITALIZATION HISTORY, CURRENT DIAGNOSIS, OR ANYTHING ELSE, IF THE INDIVIDUAL WAS CHARGED WITH A VIOLENT OFFENSE, THERE WAS A STRONG POSSIBILITY HE WOULD BE FOUND DANGEROUS. THESE DATA SUGGEST THAT UNDER PRETRIAL EXAMINATION CONDITIONS, PSYCHIATRISTS SHOW NO ABILITIES TO PREDICT ACCURATELY FUTURE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR BEYOND THAT EXPECTED BY CHANCE. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED.