Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Fazel, S. Articles by Grann, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Fazel, S. Articles by Grann, M. Gender Geriatric Psychiatry Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Other Violence/Aggression Related Articles

The Population Impact of Severe Mental Illness on Violent Crime

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the population impact of patients with severe mental illness on violent crime. METHOD: Sweden possesses high-quality national registers for all hospital admissions and criminal convictions. All individuals discharged from the hospital with ICD diagnoses of schizophrenia and other psychoses (N=98,082) were linked to the crime register to determine the population-attributable risk of patients with severe mental illness to violent crime. The attributable risk was calculated by gender, three age bands (15–24, 25–39, and 40 years and over), and offense type. RESULTS: Over a 13-year period, there were 45 violent crimes committed per 1,000 inhabitants. Of these, 2.4 were attributable to patients with severe mental illness. This corresponds to a population-attributable risk fraction of 5.2%. This attributable risk fraction was higher in women than men across all age bands. In women ages 25–39, it was 14.0%, and in women over 40, it was 19.0%. The attributable risk fractions were lowest in those ages 15–24 (2.3% for male patients and 2.9% for female patients). CONCLUSIONS: The population impact of patients with severe mental illness on violent crime, estimated by calculating the population-attributable risk, varies by gender and age. Overall, the population-attributable risk fraction of patients was 5%, suggesting that patients with severe mental illness commit one in 20 violent crimes.

Related Articles:

Violence and Mental Disorders: Data and Public Policy

Paul S. Appelbaum
Am J Psychiatry 2006 163: 1319-1321. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Sirotich Correlates of Crime and Violence among Persons with Mental Disorder: An Evidence-Based Review Brief. Treat. Crisis Interven., May 1, 2008; 8(2): 171 - 194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Kooyman, K. Dean, S. Harvey, and E. Walsh Outcomes of public concern in schizophrenia The British Journal of Psychiatry, August 1, 2007; 191(50): s29 - s36. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Coid, M. Yang, A. Roberts, S. Ullrich, P. Moran, P. Bebbington, T. Brugha, R. Jenkins, M. Farrell, and N. Singleton Authors' reply: The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2007; 190(2): 177 - 178. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. R. PINTA Limitations of Study on Violent Crime and Mental Illness Am J Psychiatry, December 1, 2006; 163(12): 2193 - 2193. [Full Text] [PDF]

				People with psychoses commit about 5% of the violent crimes in Sweden BMJ, September 2, 2006; 333(7566): . [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2006 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us