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The temporal relationship between schizophrenia and crime
Runa Munkner1, Soeren Haastrup, Torben Joergensen
1The Psychiatric Department P, Glostrup University Hospital, Ndr. Ringvej, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark. rumu@glostruphosp.kbhamt.dk
Background:
Little is known about the temporal relationship between illness onset and the possible beginning of a criminal career among people with schizophrenia, even though criminality, especially violent criminality, has been shown to be more common among people with schizophrenia than among people in general.
Aim:
The aim of this study was to analyse the temporal relationship between registered crime and contact to the psychiatric hospital system.
Method:
This is a register-based study merging data on the psychiatric career with criminal records.
Results:
Among the males with schizophrenia, 37% started a criminal career and 13% had committed first violent crime before first contact with the psychiatric hospital system.
Conclusion:
The criminality committed before first contact to the psychiatric hospital system is substantial, especially among males with schizophrenia.