Childhood cruelty to animals, firesetting, and enuresis as correlates of competence to stand trial.
The present study investigated the incidence of the childhood symptoms of cruelty to animals, firesetting , and enuresis in the case reports of 1935 offenders evaluated at a court psychiatric clinic. The presence of all or part of this triad of symptoms was more common in those found competent to stand trial than in those found incompetent. However, no association was found between the presence of the triad of symptoms in those charged with violent crimes and those charged with nonviolent crimes.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004775:Enuresis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005391:Firesetting Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D014754:Violence