title: The characteristics of perpetrators of sexual offences with organic lesions in the central nervous system.
abstract: Behaviour changes resulting from central nervous system (CNS) injury have been extensively presented in the scientific literature. Although the association between sexual violence and organic CNS lesions has been documented, the research on this subject is scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics of perpetrators with organic lesions in CNS who committed sexual offences.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research material consisted of 180 court ordered psychiatric-sexuological assessments issued by forensic experts from the Mental Health Outpatient Unit in the 10th Military Clinic Hospital in Bydgoszcz (Poland) between 2004 and 2012. A specially designed questionnaire titled "Charter for Diagnosis of Factors Determining Criminal Sexual Activity" has been used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relevant statistically significant dependences have been observed between the examined variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vast majority of perpetrators of sexual offences have been found to have organic lesions in the central nervous system (CNS). Perpetrators of sexual offences found to have organic lesions in CNS were more likely to overuse alcohol and had earlier onset of alcohol use. Among the perpetrators within the study group the most common clinical diagnosis was organic personality disorder.
authors.affiliation: 7th Navy Hospital in Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Juszczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia, Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korzeniewski
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010554:Personality Disorders; D011044:Poland; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: CNS organic lesions; sexual offences