Psychiatric Disorders and Violent Re-offending in Offenders
Author Information
Author(s): Grann Martin, Danesh John, Fazel Seena
Primary Institution: Department of Psychology, University of Stockholm, Sweden
Hypothesis
Are psychiatric disorders risk factors for violent reoffending in adult offenders?
Conclusion
Substance use and personality disorders are linked to a higher risk of violent reoffending, but their predictive value is minimal compared to demographic and criminal history factors.
Supporting Evidence
- 31.3% of offenders reoffended violently during follow-up.
- Substance use disorders had a hazard ratio of 1.97 for violent offending.
- Personality disorders had a hazard ratio of 1.71 for violent offending.
- Demographic factors provided better predictive value than psychiatric diagnoses.
Takeaway
People with substance use and personality disorders are more likely to commit violent crimes again, but knowing this doesn't help much in predicting who will reoffend.
Methodology
Historical cohort study of offenders given community sentences, assessed by psychiatrists, followed for an average of 5 years.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias as only offenders with psychiatric assessments were included.
Limitations
The study may not generalize to all offenders as it only included those referred for psychiatric assessment.
Participant Demographics
Mean age 35.7 years, 8.7% women, 23.2% non-Scandinavian citizens.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Confidence Interval
1.40–2.77 for substance use disorders; 1.20–2.44 for personality disorders
Statistical Significance
p < 0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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