Irresponsible Mentally Ill Persons: Are They Like Other Patients? A Profile of 21 “Criminally Irresponsible” Patients

Abstract

The links between mental illness and violence or crime have been much studied. Nevertheless, little work has
been conducted on only the population of criminal patients who were declared irresponsible under the first paragraph
of article 122-1 of the Penal Code.
The aim of this study of 21 patients hospitalized at the Psychiatric Hospital of Colombière between 2003 and
2006 was to describe their epidemiological profiles and how they committed their crimes then to compare the
results to those found in international literature.
The population was composed of 19 men and 2 women with a mean age of 36 years and 2 months, 61.90% were
single, 2/3 of them had poor relational support and 2/3 of them had reached secondary school studies. Most were
unemployed; more than half (57.14%) were under guardianship and received disability benefits, 76.2% were
schizophrenics under psychiatric supervision but were not under-going treatment at the time the act was committed.
Regarding their backgrounds, 61.9% had already committed physical violence and inflicted injuries and 10% had
committed homicides. During childhood, 33.3% had had a poor upbringing, 42.86% had early divorces and 24%
were victims of abuse. The victim was know to the perpetrator in 76.19% of cases and had already been a victim
of prior violence by this person in 42.86% of cases. Most cases involved physical violence (95.24%) committed
with weapons easily at their disposal (55% of cases).
The risk factor of the level of dangerousness identified in the literature were found in the majority of our patients.
However, it seems that, despite these elements, the irresponsible patients of our group showed certain features
which cannot be neglected. Continuing research on the links between mental illness and violence in irresponsible
patients seems indispensable in order to improve our knowledge and their treatment and care.