Criminal Recidivism and Psychiatric Illness
SAMUEL B. GUZE M.D.1,
DONALD W. GOODWIN M.D.1, , and
J. BRUCE CRANE M.D.
1 Professor of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63110 and associate psychiatrist, Barnes and Renard Hospitals
The authors describe a study of criminal recidivism during an eight- to nine-year period; it indicated that increased recidivism rates were associated with the following factors: "flat-timer" status (reflecting a more extensive criminal career), relative youth, and diagnoses of sociopathy, alcoholism, and drug dependency. Remission of the latter two conditions was correlated with a decline of recidivism.
