title: Homicide and mental disorder in a region with a high homicide rate.
abstract: There are few studies of the relationship between mental disorder and homicide offences from regions with high rates of homicide. We examined the characteristics and psychiatric diagnoses of homicide offenders from the Chuvash Republic of the Russian Federation, a region of Russia with a high total homicide rate. In the 30 years between 1981 and 2010, 3414 homicide offenders were the subjected to pre-trial evaluations by experienced psychiatrists, almost half of whom (1596, 46.7%) met the international classification of diseases (ICD) 10 criteria for at least one mental disorder. The six most common individual diagnoses were alcohol dependence (15.9%), acquired organic mental disorder (7.3%), personality disorder (7.1%), schizophrenia (4.4%) and intellectual disability (3.6%). More than one disorder was found in 7.4% of offenders and alcohol dependence was the most frequently diagnosed co-morbid disorder. One in ten offenders were found to be not criminally responsible for their actions. Few homicides involved the use of substances other than alcohol, and firearms were used in 1.6% of homicides. The finding that people with mental disorders other than psychosis committed a high proportion of homicides in a region with a high rate of homicide, suggests that people with mental disorders are vulnerable to similar sociological factors to those that contribute to homicide offences by people who do not have mental disorder.
authors.affiliation: Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Chuvash State University, Cheboksary, Pirogov Street, 6, 428015, Russia. Electronic address: golenkovav@inbox.ru.
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golenkov
authors.affiliation: Conjoint Professor and Psychiatrist, Prince or Wales Hospital and University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Large
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrist, Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Olav
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nielssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Judicial-Psychiatric Examination Republic Psychiatric Hospital, Cheboksary, Russia.
authors.forename: Alla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsymbalova
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057237:Criminals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012426:Russia / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Criminal responsibility; Homicide; Mental disorder; Russia (Chuvashia)