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Homicide offenders 32 years later - a Swedish population-based study on recidivism
1Division of Social and Forensic Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Forensic Psychiatry in Stockholm, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Sweden.
Background:
The literature on recidivism by homicide offenders is scarce despite its importance for individuals and for society.
Aims:
To establish the rate of seriously violent re-offending among homicide offenders and identify risk factors for such recidivism.
Methods:
A 1970s incident cohort of all homicide offenders, sane and insane, from two regions of Sweden (N = 153) was followed up until 2007 using data from the national crime register.
Results:
Ten per cent of the cohort (n = 15) re-offended. The mean time from index offence to recidivism was 9.4 years. Five people (3%) committed a further homicide, and it was established that another five (3%) offenders had killed before the index offence. Prospective risk factors for violent recidivism were young age, psychotic disorder, male victim, acquainted victim and intoxicated victim.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of repeated homicide is higher than previously reported. Victim variables and mental disorder in conjunction with substance abuse appear to be two domains of particular significance for recidivism.
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