Gender differences in criminality: bipolar disorder with co-occurring substance abuse.
Outpatient interviews to collect criminal history data were conducted with 55 women and 77 men who had the dual diagnosis of rapid-cycling bipolar disorder with co-morbid substance abuse disorders (DD-RCBD), to ascertain gender-related similarities and differences. Fifty-three percent of women and 79 percent of men reported that they had been charged with a crime, and nearly half of those charged had been incarcerated. Men with DD-RCBD were more likely to have committed a felony and had a trend of committing more misdemeanors. Although women with DD-RCBD were less likely to have a criminal history than their male counterparts, they were far more likely to have a criminal history than were women in the general population. Implications from this pilot study include the need for earlier identification of bipolar disorder and for the increased availability of psychiatric and substance abuse services within correctional facilities.
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Hanna Pavilion, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. susan.hatters-friedman@uhhs.com
Susan Hatters
SH
Friedman
Melvin D
MD
Shelton
Omar
O
Elhaj
Erik A
EA
Youngstrom
Daniel J
DJ
Rapport
Kristene A
KA
Packer
Sarah R
SR
Bilali
Kelly Sak
KS
Jackson
Heather E
HE
Sakai
Phillip J
PJ
Resnick
Robert L
RL
Findling
Joseph R
JR
Calabrese
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence