Clinical and criminological characteristics of patients with organic mental disorders who had repeatedly committed socially dangerous acts

Abstract

Aim. To perform the comparative analysis of clinical and criminological characteristics of patients with organic mental disorders who had repeatedly committed socially dangerous acts. Methods. 79 patients with diagnosed organic mental disorders who had committed socially dangerous acts, declared insane by the court and underwent compulsory treatment determined by the court as out-patients or in general or specialized mental hospital. Patients who had repeated socially dangerous acts after treatment, were included in the group A (19 patients), patients who had not committed any socially dangerous act after treatment, were included in the group B (60 patients). Results. Patients with organic delusional disorder (21 vs 11.6%) and non-psychotic organic disorders (10.5 vs 5%) were more commonly seen in group A compared to group B. The share of patients with dementia was higher in group B (23.3 vs 5.2%). 8 (42.1%) patients of group A were never prosecuted before, compared to 40 (66.7%) patients from group B. Some crimes were registered only in patients who repeatedly committed crimes: sexual crimes - 1 (5.2%), crimes against administrative order - 2 (10.5%), crimes against public security 5.2% (patient was convicted in illicit firearms manufacturing). Psychopathy-like syndrome was the leading syndrome in patients who committed a socially dangerous act in both A and B groups: 11 (57.9%) and 33 (55%) cases respectively. Hallucinatory delusion was diagnosed in 7 (36.8%) of group A patients and in 17 (28.3%) of group B patients. Majority of the group A patients had further committed only one crime after treatment - 11 (57.9%), 5 (26.3%) committed 2-3 crimes, 3 (15.8%) patients - over 3 crimes. The time gap between the first and further compulsory treatment was between 1 and 3 years in most of the cases (11 patients, 57.9%). 4 (21%) patients were readmitted for repeated compulsory treatment within 1 year, 3 (15.8%) were readmitted from 3 to 5 years and 1 (5.3%) from 5 to 8 years after the initial treatment. Conclusion. There are a number of factors influencing the criminal behavior and re-committing socially dangerous acts in future. Despite the small sample size, it should be noted that patients with dementia do not repeat socially dangerous acts.

Keywords

psychiatry / organic mental disorder / socially dangerous acts

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Popov S.N., Vinnikova I.N.