© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Rates of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide
National clinical survey
Centre for Suicide Prevention, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Correspondence: Professor Louis Appleby, Centre for Suicide Prevention, University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Oxford ford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. E-mail: Louis.appleby{at}manchester.ac.uk
Declaration of interest L.A. is the National Director of Mental Health for England. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.
See pp. 129–134 and
135–142, this issue.
Background Previous studies of people convicted of homicide have used different definitions of mental disorder.
Aims To estimate the rate of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide; to examine the relationship between definitions, verdict and outcome in court.
Method A national clinical survey of people convicted of homicide (n=1594) in England and Wales (1996–1999). Rates of mental disorder were estimated based on: lifetime diagnosis, mental illness at the time of the offence, contact with psychiatric services, diminished responsibility verdict and hospital disposal.
Results Of the 1594,545 (34%) had a mental disorder: most had not attended psychiatric services; 85 (5%) had schizophrenia (lifetime); 164 (10%) had symptoms of mental illness at the time of the offence; 149 (9%) received a diminished responsibility verdict and 111 (7%) a hospital disposal – both were associated with severe mental illness and symptoms of psychosis.
Conclusions The findings suggest an association between schizophrenia and conviction for homicide. Most perpetrators with a history of mental disorder were not acutely ill or under mental healthcare at the time of the offence. Some perpetrators receive prison sentences despite having severe mental illness.
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