Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. Some academics link schizophrenia to violent crime. Research suggests a failure to properly treat the disorder can lead to a deterioration that may result in violence.
Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects under one percent of the U.S. population, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Active symptoms of the disorder include hallucinations, problems with thinking and focus, delusions, and a lack of motivation. Most of the more acute symptoms can be successfully treated.
Without treatment, the consequences for the sufferer and society can be high. A report in Schizophrenia.com states people with the disorder who fail to receive proper treatment often end up homeless or in jail. However, their crimes are usually misdemeanors rather than crimes of violence.
The report noted as many as 200,000 people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic depression) end up homeless. They comprise about a third of the homeless population of the United States.
Schizophrenia.com notes there are more people living on the streets with untreated psychiatric illnesses than people who receive care in hospitals. About 90,000 people with schizophrenia or bipolar illnesses are in hospitals receiving treatment for their conditions.
Some studies point to a link between untreated schizophrenia and mental illness. In 2011, researchers in Australia considered the link between schizophrenia, drug abuse, and violent criminal behavior.
The article published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, was published by a group of academics in Australia and the Institute of Psychiatry in London.
Researchers evaluated people in police and mental health databases.
The team compared rates of schizophrenia disorders, conviction rates, and substance abuse among the 435 homicide offenders.
They compared them with other samples. Of the offenders, 38 of the 435 offenders (8.7 percent) were diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The research found a higher level of homicides among people with schizophrenia.
James Ogloff, J.D., Ph.D., a professor of clinical forensic psychology at Monash University in Australia, and a co-author of the report said:
“Patients with schizophrenia are significantly more likely than those in the general community to commit homicide offenses. Known substance abuse or prior offending rates for those with schizophrenia are not more significant indicators for risk of future offending among homicide offenders than for other groups.”
Other reports have failed to show a link. Schizophrenia.com maintains violence is not a symptom of schizophrenia and people with the disorder are more likely to harm themselves than others.
The seriousness of this disorder and its potential consequences if untreated are not in doubt. The criminal justice system offers inadequate protections for people with schizophrenia. If you or a schizophrenic family member has been arrested, it’s important to contact a lawyer with specialist knowledge in this area. Please call us at (602) 340-1999.
