Offence Characteristics of Psychotic Men Who Sexually Assault Women

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan D Smith
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Anal Intercourse ◽  
Vaginal Intercourse ◽  
Home Office ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Sexual Behaviours ◽  
Sex Offences ◽  
Popular Images

Very little is known about the nature of serious sex offences against women by psychotic men. This study aimed to examine such offences by carrying out a search of Home Office records for all 80 male restricted hospital order in-patients with schizophrenia, resident in any hospital in England and Wales during May 1997, with an index conviction for a contact sex offence against a woman, committed whilst psychotic. Offences peaked in the afternoon, but were proportionally distributed according to day and month. Most (47/59%) offences occurred indoors, with over half of these in the victim's home. Assailants were strangers in 49 (61%) offences. Offences involving strangers were more likely to occur outdoors and without any preceding social interaction compared to those involving assailants known to their victims. Offenders' speech tended to be impersonal, with little attempt at intimacy. Offence sexual behaviours were: breast/genital fondling 63 (79%), vaginal intercourse 42 (52%), fellatio eight (10%), anal intercourse seven (9%), and cunnilingus six (8%). Excessive violence or bizarre behaviour occurred in a minority of offences. The findings are discussed with reference to the literature on sex offences by men without mental illness. The data do not support anecdotal or popular images that most psychotic sex attackers behave in an exceptionally violent or bizarre manner.

Serious sex offending against women by men with schizophrenia

1999 ◽  
Vol 174 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan D. Smith ◽  
Pamela J. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Sex Offending ◽  
Home Office ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
First Sex ◽  
Sex Offences ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

BackgroundLittle is known about men who commit sex offences in the context of psychosis.AimsTo examine the relationship of illness and psychotic symptoms to sex offending in men with schizophrenia.MethodA search of Home Office records was completed for all 84 male restricted hospital order in-patients with schizophrenia, resident in any hospital in England and Wales during May 1997, with an index conviction for a contact sex offence against a woman.ResultsAt the time of their index offences 80 men were psychotic and half of them had delusions or hallucinations related to the offences. Specific delusional or hallucinatory drive was pertinent in only 18 men but the majority of men committed their first sex offence after onset of schizophrenia. Exclusive sex offending was uncommon.ConclusionsWhen a man with schizophrenia commits a serious sex offence the illness is, more commonly than not, relevant to that offence even though a direct symptom relationship may be relatively unusual.

scholarly journals Mental disorder in people convicted of homicide: long-term national trends in rates and court outcome

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Sandra Flynn ◽  
Saied Ibrahim ◽  
Nav Kapur ◽  
Louis Appleby ◽  
Jenny Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Substance Misuse ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Home Office ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Complex Needs

Background Homicide rates have fallen markedly in the UK over the past decade. There has been little research on whether homicides by people with mental disorder have contributed to this downward trend. Furthermore, there is limited information on trends in court outcomes for people with mental disorder who commit homicide. Aims To examine trends in general population homicide and homicide by people with mental disorder, and to explore court outcome. Method We conducted a national, consecutive case series of homicide in England and Wales (1997–2015). Data were received from the Home Office Statistics Unit of Home Office Science. Clinical information was obtained from psychiatric reports and mental health services. Results There has been a fall in the homicide rate in England and Wales since 2008. Despite this, the relative contribution of mental disorder as a proportion of all homicide has increased. Our findings also showed the inappropriate management of people with serious mental illness convicted of homicide. Of those who committed homicide and were diagnosed with schizophrenia, a third were imprisoned, and there was a marked fall in hospital order referrals. We found this to be linked to substance misuse comorbidity. Conclusions The proportional increase in homicide by people with schizophrenia suggests more complex factors may be driving rates, such as substance misuse. Addressing substance misuse comorbidity and maintaining engagement with services may help prevent patient homicide. Despite their complex needs, people with serious mental illness continue to be imprisoned. Improvements in assessment and the timely transfer of prisoners to health services are required.

scholarly journals Parricide in England and Wales (1977–2012): An exploration of offenders, victims, incidents and outcomes

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 568-587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Holt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Home Office ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
The Uk ◽  
National Analysis ◽  
Forms Of Violence

The killing of one’s parents is a neglected area in criminological scholarship, particularly in the UK, and this article presents the first national analysis of parricide in England and Wales. It draws on data from the Home Office Homicide Index to examine all recorded cases of parricide over a 36-year period and examines the characteristics of offenders, victims, incidents and court outcomes. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to two particular dominant theoretical ideas within the field: the role of mental illness in parricide, and the notion that there are distinct forms of violence against parents that can be organized along dimensions of chronological age (i.e. juvenile/adult offender) and whether the violence is fatal (i.e. parricide) or non-fatal. The article concludes with a discussion of its wider implications for future research.

Comparing sexual behaviours and knowledge between domestic students and Chinese international students in Australia: findings from two cross-sectional studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 781-790
Author(s):  
Caitlin H Douglass ◽  
Can Qin ◽  
Fran Martin ◽  
Yinzong Xiao ◽  
Carol El-Hayek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Oral Contraceptive Pill ◽  
Anal Intercourse ◽  
Chinese International Students ◽  
Oral Sex ◽  
Vaginal Intercourse ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sexual Behaviours

Few studies investigate sexual health among Chinese international students in Australia. We recruited domestic (n = 623) and Chinese international (n = 500) students for separate online surveys on sexual behaviours and knowledge. Samples were compared using Chi square, Fisher’s exact and equality of medians tests. Domestic students were more likely than international students to have ever touched a partner’s genitals (81% vs. 53%, p < 0.01), had oral sex (76% vs. 44%, p < 0.01), vaginal intercourse (67% vs. 41%, p < 0.01) and anal intercourse (31% vs. 6%, p < 0.01). Domestic students were younger when they first touched a partner’s genitals (16 vs. 18 years, p < 0.01), had oral sex (17 vs. 18 years, p < 0.01) and vaginal intercourse (17 vs. 18 years, p < 0.01). Domestic students were less likely than Chinese international students to report only one lifetime partner for touching genitals (22% vs. 50%, p < 0.01), oral sex (25% vs. 55%, p < 0.01), vaginal intercourse (30% vs. 58%, p < 0.01) and anal intercourse (54% vs. 88%, p < 0.01). Domestic students were more likely than Chinese international students to use the oral contraceptive pill (48% vs. 16%, p < 0.01) and long-acting reversible contraceptives (19% vs. 1%, p < 0.01). Domestic students scored higher than international students on a contraception and chlamydia quiz (4/5 vs. 2/5, p < 0.01). Domestic and Chinese international students differed in sexual behaviours and knowledge highlighting the need for relevant sexual health promotion for both groups.

Unfitness to Plead in England and Wales

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudi Fortson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Learning Disability ◽  
Developmental Disorder ◽  
Criminal Offence ◽  
Legal Process ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Criminal Jurisdiction ◽  
Communication Impairment ◽  
The Law ◽  
Law Commission

This chapter examines the legal and practical issues encountered by practitioners when dealing with unfitness to plead litigation. As the Law Commission for England and Wales has pointed out, defendants charged with a criminal offence may be unfit to plead or to stand trial for a variety of reasons, including difficulties resulting from mental illness, learning disability, developmental disorder, or communication impairment. Two issues are considered: (i) how might those defendants who are unfit be accurately identified; and (ii) what steps should be taken by legal practitioners and by the courts of criminal jurisdiction to cater for the interests of vulnerable defendants, victims, and society, and to maintain the integrity of the legal process as one that is fair and just? The chapter evaluates the reform proposals of the English Law Commission and assesses how the law could be improved for all those who are involved in dealing with the unfit to plead.

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