The British Journal of Psychiatry 174: 9-14 (1999)
© 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Homicides by people with mental illness: myth and reality

PJ Taylor and J Gunn
Institute of Psychiatry, London.

BACKGROUND: Tragic and high profile killings by people with mental illness have been used to suggest that the community care model for mental health services has failed. AIMS: To consider whether such homicides have become more frequent as psychiatric services have changed. METHOD: Data were extracted from Home Office-generated criminal statistics for England and Wales between 1957 and 1995 and subjected to trends analysis. RESULTS: There was little fluctuation in numbers of people with a mental illness committing criminal homicide over the 38 years studied, and a 3% annual decline in their contribution to the official statistics. CONCLUSIONS: There are many reasons for improving the resources and quality of care for people with a mental disorder, but there is no evidence that it is anything but stigmatising to claim that their living in the community is a dangerous experiment that should be reversed. There appears to be some case for specially focused improvement of services for people with a personality disorder and/or substance misuse.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Ramon Adult Mental Health in a Changing International Context: The Relevance to Social Work Br. J. Soc. Work, June 25, 2009; (2009) bcp066v1. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. H. Teixeira and P. Dalgalarrondo Violent Crime and Dimensions of Delusion: A Comparative Study of Criminal and Noncriminal Delusional Patients J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, June 1, 2009; 37(2): 225 - 231. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Vinkers, M. Barendregt, and E. de Beurs Homicide due to mental disorder The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2009; 194(2): 185 - 185. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Stroud A psychosocial analysis of child homicide Critical Social Policy, November 1, 2008; 28(4): 482 - 505. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Large, G. Smith, N. Swinson, J. Shaw, and O. Nielssen Homicide due to mental disorder in England and Wales over 50 years The British Journal of Psychiatry, August 1, 2008; 193(2): 130 - 133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Priebe, P. Frottier, A. Gaddini, R. Kilian, C. Lauber, R. Martinez-Leal, P. Munk-Jorgensen, D. Walsh, D. Wiersma, and D. Wright Mental Health Care Institutions in Nine European Countries, 2002 to 2006 Psychiatr Serv, May 1, 2008; 59(5): 570 - 573. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Davidson and J. Campbell An Examination of the Use of Coercion by Assertive Outreach and Community Mental Health Teams in Northern Ireland Br. J. Soc. Work, April 1, 2007; 37(3): 537 - 555. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Crichton and R. Darjee New mental health legislation BMJ, March 24, 2007; 334(7594): 596 - 597. [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Priest The Healing Balm Effect: Using a Walking Group to Feel Better J Health Psychol, January 1, 2007; 12(1): 36 - 52. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Clark and R. Rowe Violence, stigma and psychiatric diagnosis: the effects of a history of violence on psychiatric diagnosis Psychiatr. Bull., July 1, 2006; 30(7): 254 - 256. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Coid, M. Yang, A. Roberts, S. Ullrich, P. Moran, P. Bebbington, T. Brugha, R. Jenkins, M. Farrell, G. Lewis, et al. Violence and psychiatric morbidity in the national household population of Britain: public health implications The British Journal of Psychiatry, July 1, 2006; 189(1): 12 - 19. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Dixon, D. McDaid, M. Knapp, and C. Curran Financing mental health services in low- and middle-income countries Health Policy Plan., May 1, 2006; 21(3): 171 - 182. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Hopton The future of critical psychiatry Critical Social Policy, February 1, 2006; 26(1): 57 - 73. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Shaw, I. M. Hunt, S. Flynn, J. Meehan, J. Robinson, H. Bickley, R. Parsons, K. McCann, J. Burns, T. Amos, et al. Rates of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide: National clinical survey The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2006; 188(2): 143 - 147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Prins Mental disorder and violent crime: A problematic relationship Probation Journal, December 1, 2005; 52(4): 333 - 357. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. E. Davison The management of violence in general psychiatry Adv. Psychiatr. Treat., September 1, 2005; 11(5): 362 - 370. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K Canvin, A Bartlett, and V Pinfold Acceptability of compulsory powers in the community: the ethical considerations of mental health service users on Supervised Discharge and Guardianship J. Med. Ethics, August 1, 2005; 31(8): 457 - 462. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Cure, W. L. Chua, L. Duggan, and C. Adams Randomised controlled trials relevant to aggressive and violent people, 1955-2000: a survey The British Journal of Psychiatry, March 1, 2005; 186(3): 185 - 189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. I. F. Simpson, B. Mckenna, A. Moskowitz, J. Skipworth, and J. Barry-Walsh Homicide and mental illness in New Zealand, 1970-2000 The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2004; 185(5): 394 - 398. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. TengstrOm, S. Hodgins, M. Grann, N. LAngstrOm, and G. Kullgren Schizophrenia and Criminal Offending: The Role of Psychopathy and Substance Use Disorders Criminal Justice and Behavior, August 1, 2004; 31(4): 367 - 391. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Shaw, T. Amos, I. M Hunt, S. Flynn, P. Turnbull, N. Kapur, and L. Appleby Mental illness in people who kill strangers: longitudinal study and national clinical survey BMJ, March 27, 2004; 328(7442): 734 - 737. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Antoniou Does crime literature contribute to the stigmatisation of those with mental health problems? Psychiatr. Bull., March 1, 2004; 28(3): 95 - 97. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Duffy, S. Lenihan, and H. G. Kennedy Screening prisoners for mental disorders Psychiatr. Bull., July 1, 2003; 27(7): 241 - 242. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Priebe and T. Turner Reinstitutionalisation in mental health care BMJ, January 25, 2003; 326(7382): 175 - 176. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Gordon Suicide in secure psychiatric facilities Adv. Psychiatr. Treat., November 1, 2002; 8(6): 408 - 417. [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Wolff Risk, Response, and Mental Health Policy: Learning from the Experience of the United Kingdom Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, October 1, 2002; 27(5): 801 - 832. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. Walsh and T. Fahy Violence in society BMJ, September 7, 2002; 325(7363): 507 - 508. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Burns and J. Catty Mental health policy and evidence: Potentials and pitfalls Psychiatr. Bull., September 1, 2002; 26(9): 324 - 327. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. WALSH, A. BUCHANAN, and T. FAHY Violence and schizophrenia: examining the evidence The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2002; 180(6): 490 - 495. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Barak and H. Gordon Forensic psychiatry in Israel Psychiatr. Bull., April 1, 2002; 26(4): 143 - 145. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Bailey Violent children: a framework for assessment Adv. Psychiatr. Treat., March 1, 2002; 8(2): 97 - 106. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. G Wong and F. Lieh-Mak Genetic discrimination and mental illness: a case report J. Med. Ethics, December 1, 2001; 27(6): 393 - 397. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Beresford Service users, social policy and the future of welfare Critical Social Policy, November 1, 2001; 21(4): 494 - 512. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Perkins Danger and incompetence: mental health and New Labour Critical Social Policy, November 1, 2001; 21(4): 536 - 539. [PDF]

				D. Protheroe and A. Carroll Twenty-four hour crisis assessment and treatment teams: too radical for the UK? Psychiatr. Bull., November 1, 2001; 25(11): 416 - 417. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. LEFF Why is care in the community perceived as a failure? The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2001; 179(5): 381 - 383. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Perkins and T. Burns Home Treatment International Journal of Social Psychiatry, September 1, 2001; 47(3): 55 - 66. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Rai Undue emphasis on risk may increase stigma Psychiatr. Bull., September 1, 2001; 25(9): 359 - 360. [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Pinfold and J. Bindman Is compulsory community treatment ever justified? Psychiatr. Bull., July 1, 2001; 25(7): 268 - 270. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Petch Risk management in UK mental health services: an overvalued idea? Psychiatr. Bull., June 1, 2001; 25(6): 203 - 205. [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Sayce Social inclusion and mental health Psychiatr. Bull., April 1, 2001; 25(4): 121 - 123. [Full Text]

				J. GUNN Future directions for treatment in forensic psychiatry The British Journal of Psychiatry, April 1, 2000; 176(4): 332 - 338. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. SOYKA Substance misuse, psychiatric disorder and violent and disturbed behaviour The British Journal of Psychiatry, April 1, 2000; 176(4): 345 - 350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. MUNRO and J. RUMGAY Role of risk assessment in reducing homicides by people with mental illness The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2000; 176(2): 116 - 120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Szmukler Homicide inquiries: What sense do they make? Psychiatr. Bull., January 1, 2000; 24(1): 6 - 10. [Full Text]

				Commentary On "Enabled To Care": the State We'Re in International Journal of Social Psychiatry, September 1, 1999; 45(3): 159 - 161. [PDF]

				Race, Racism And Risk Assessment: Linking Theory To Practice With Black Mentally Disordered Offenders Probation Journal, September 1, 1999; 46(3): 171 - 181. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Shaw, L. Appleby, T. Amos, R. McDonnell, C. Harris, K. McCann, K. Kiernan, S. Davies, H. Bickley, and R. Parsons Mental disorder and clinical care in people convicted of homicide: national clinical survey BMJ, May 8, 1999; 318(7193): 1240 - 1244. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. Sharkey, P. Johnstone, C. Allot, V. Hawkins, J. Moncrieff, P. Thomas, M. Crawford, C. Henderson, and T. Johnston Modernising mental health services BMJ, March 20, 1999; 318(7186): 806a - 806. [Full Text]