[Young killers: study of distinctive features with youth that have committed other crimes in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina].
The violence in its different forms, is a social problem that calls for multidisciplinary approaches in actions aimed at prevention. Among the skills needed to guide preventive policies, the highlights are risk and protective factors for violent behavior. This study aims to contribute, from the psychiatric perspective, in exploring factors influencing the behavior of homicidal adolescents. We studied a group of cases (n = 15) of young killers and a control group (n = 35) of juveniles who committed other crimes (simple or qualified theft or rape), all of them institutionalized by court order in La Plata city, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In both groups were evaluated sociodemographic, criminological and psychosocial characteristics through ad hoc questionnaire, as well as psychiatric clinical variables through the MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview). The results showed that the multiple factors studied were not significantly associated with the condition of being young murderer. The findings aim to sustain that, in this vulnerable population of youth, homicidal behavior depends more on the circumstances than of personal peculiarities. The authors suggest that preventive actions in adolescents with these risk factors could have an effect on criminal behavior in general, as in homicidal behavior in particular.
Cátedra de Psiquiatría, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. renataweise@speedy.com.ar
Renata
R
Wiese
Jorge O
JO
Folino
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001118:Argentina; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult