The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospital
Introduction The majority of homicides in society are not associated with mental illness, however there is an established association between homicide and schizophrenia. Homicide perpetrated by mentally disordered offenders is a leading reason for admission to secure forensic psychiatric hospitals...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821010038/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797616395565924352 |
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| author | N. Basrak H. Kennedy M. Davoren |
| author_facet | N. Basrak H. Kennedy M. Davoren |
| author_sort | N. Basrak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
The majority of homicides in society are not associated with mental illness, however there is an established association between homicide and schizophrenia. Homicide perpetrated by mentally disordered offenders is a leading reason for admission to secure forensic psychiatric hospitals.
Objectives
To investigate the clinical characteristics of those with a history of completed homicide in the CMH Dundrum.
Methods
This study was a cross sectional study of a cohort of patients in the Central Mental Hospital who had completed homicide (n=63).
Results
A total of 136 patients were included, 46.3% (n=63) of whom had committed homicide. Mean age of homicide perpetrators at admission was 34.6 years old (median 33.4, s.d. = 9.72). The most common diagnosis was schizophrenia (n=40, 63.5%). 73.0% (n=46) had a history of substance misuse. 36.5% (n=23) had a diagnosis of a personality disorder, including traits only. The most common victim type was a family member (n=32, 50.8%). Patients with a history of homicide had better scores on dynamic risk of violence (F=8.553, p=0.004), programme completion (F=8.258, p=0.005) and recovery (F=3.666, p=0.058) compared to non-homicide offenders, however they also had significantly longer mean length of stay, 12.7 years v 7.5 years (F=9.634,p=0.002).
Conclusions
Homicide perpetrators with a mental illness constitute a significant portion of the forensic mental health population and a high number of these offences were against family members. A history of homicide among forensic in-patients is associated with a longer length of stay which has implications for service development into the future.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:40:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b1f736342ac240bbb27929be10fb418b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:40:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-b1f736342ac240bbb27929be10fb418b2023-11-17T05:08:43ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S374S37510.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1003The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospitalN. Basrak0H. Kennedy1M. Davoren2National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital Dundrum, Dundrum, IrelandNational Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital Dundrum, Dundrum, Ireland The Dundrum Centre For Forensic Excellence, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, IrelandNational Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital Dundrum, Dundrum, Ireland The Dundrum Centre For Forensic Excellence, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Introduction The majority of homicides in society are not associated with mental illness, however there is an established association between homicide and schizophrenia. Homicide perpetrated by mentally disordered offenders is a leading reason for admission to secure forensic psychiatric hospitals. Objectives To investigate the clinical characteristics of those with a history of completed homicide in the CMH Dundrum. Methods This study was a cross sectional study of a cohort of patients in the Central Mental Hospital who had completed homicide (n=63). Results A total of 136 patients were included, 46.3% (n=63) of whom had committed homicide. Mean age of homicide perpetrators at admission was 34.6 years old (median 33.4, s.d. = 9.72). The most common diagnosis was schizophrenia (n=40, 63.5%). 73.0% (n=46) had a history of substance misuse. 36.5% (n=23) had a diagnosis of a personality disorder, including traits only. The most common victim type was a family member (n=32, 50.8%). Patients with a history of homicide had better scores on dynamic risk of violence (F=8.553, p=0.004), programme completion (F=8.258, p=0.005) and recovery (F=3.666, p=0.058) compared to non-homicide offenders, however they also had significantly longer mean length of stay, 12.7 years v 7.5 years (F=9.634,p=0.002). Conclusions Homicide perpetrators with a mental illness constitute a significant portion of the forensic mental health population and a high number of these offences were against family members. A history of homicide among forensic in-patients is associated with a longer length of stay which has implications for service development into the future. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821010038/type/journal_articleHomicideforensic psychiatry |
| spellingShingle | N. Basrak H. Kennedy M. Davoren The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospital European Psychiatry Homicide forensic psychiatry |
| title | The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospital |
| title_full | The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospital |
| title_fullStr | The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospital |
| title_short | The characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital: A study from dundrum hospital |
| title_sort | characteristics of homicide perpetrators in a medium secure forensic hospital a study from dundrum hospital |
| topic | Homicide forensic psychiatry |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821010038/type/journal_article |
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