title: Mentally retarded criminal offenders in Denmark.
abstract: Based on data from the Danish Central Criminal Register, the total number of mentally retarded offenders serving statutory care orders on a census day decreased from 290 in 1973 to 91 in 1984. The reduction was caused by shorter sentences and a dramatic decrease in the number of sentenced borderline retarded offenders: the total number of sentences per year slightly decreased, and the number of first-time sentences was stable. Crimes of property are decreasing among this population, while violence, arson, and sexual offences are increasing. Behaviour disorder was found in 87.5% of 91 offenders serving care orders in 1984. Offensive behaviour was significantly predicted by early institutionalisation, having retarded or divorced parents of low socio-economic status, and behaviour disorder of social-aggressive type. Independent significant effects were attributed to behaviour disorder and low socioeconomic background. All predictors were closely correlated. Biological factors did not have any significant predictive value.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatric Demography, Aarhus Psychiatric Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003417:Criminal Psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000639:trends; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors