Kriminalitetsprofiler i en dansk retspsykiatrisk population – udfordringer for psykiatriens kriminalitetsforebyggende opgave?

Resumé

English title: Typologies of crime committed by mentally disordered offenders: A challenge to the statutory task in hospital psychiatry of preventing recidivism to criminal acts

The aim of the study is to identify and describe a number of characteristics among a selected sample of mentally disordered offenders referred to a specialized forensic assertive community treatment team in Copenhagen (n=181). Looking at a number of variables, the study identifies a heavily burdened patient population in terms of social marginalization, serious mental illness, and criminal acts. Having identified a huge variety and number of typologies of criminal acts, we argue that the task of preventing recidivism to new crime not clear among mental health professionals. Furthermore, it proves difficult to prevent crime when the typologies of crime are diverse and widespread. It is one thing is to prevent violent crimes closely related to an actual psychotic mental state and quite another to prevent drug crimes or property crimes not so obviously related to a mental disorder. The article concludes that we need to increase our knowledge and awareness of risk and protective factors specifically related to criminal recidivism and improve cooperation between hospital psychiatry, social services and probation services.