NCJ Number
82737
Journal
Medicine Science and the Law Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1982) Pages: 91-98
Date Published
1982
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper investigates the relationship between some criminological and psychiatric aspects of homicide in Iceland for the period 1900-1979.
Abstract
During this period, there were 45 homicide incidents, involving 52 victims and 47 offenders. A total of 16 (34 percent) of the offenders were considered to be psychiatrically ill or subnormal at the time of their offense and 17 more (36.2 percent) suffered from personality disorder, alcoholism, or drug dependency. A relationship was found between psychiatric abnormality and such variables as day and time of offense, previous criminal record, method of killing, relationship between victim and offender, motive, and action after offense. About one-third of the mentally ill offenders had well-structured delusional motives at the time of the offense and rarely committed homicide for financial gain. These offenders' motives were invariably related to some emotional or delusional factors. Moreover, 25 percent of the psychiatrically ill offenders committed suicide following the offense. These findings are generally consistent with previous research on homicide, including that of Hart Hansen and Bjarnason. Nine tables and about 19 references are included. (Author abstract modified)