Crime victimization of persons with severe mental illness in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
Research in the West has shown that persons with severe mental illness are easy targets of criminals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the types, incidence, and prevalence of crime victimization and its demographic and clinical correlates among persons with severe mental illness in Taiwan.


METHODS
Participants diagnosed with schizophrenia or major affective disorders were selected from the psychiatric service of a general hospital. They were asked about any crime perpetrated against them within the preceding year. Only crimes occurring after a psychiatric diagnosis had been made were included. The results of this survey were compared with crimes among the general population in 2000 as reported by the Taiwan Crime Victimization Survey of the Ministry of Justice.


RESULTS
The 1 year prevalence of victimization in the study population was 16.8%, compared with 11.3% in the general population. After controlling for demographic and clinical variables it was found that those with affective disorders or a history of alcohol abuse were more likely to be victimized.


CONCLUSIONS
In Taiwan, persons with severe mental illness are more vulnerable to crime victimization than the general population.
Hsu
Chien-Chi
CC
Department of Psychiatry, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 10449, Taiwan.
Sheu
Chuen-Jim
CJ
Liu
Shen-Ing
SI
Sun
Yi-Wen
YW
Wu
Shu-I
SI
Lin
Ying
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D013624:Taiwan