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62 Untreated schizophrenics in hard felony commitment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Tanja Mijatovic-Papic
Affiliation:
Forensic ward, Psychiatric Hospital Kotor Dobrota b.b., 85330 Kotor, Montenegro, E-mail: spbdobrota@cg.yu
Nevenka Duletic
Affiliation:
Forensic ward, Psychiatric Hospital Kotor Dobrota b.b., 85330 Kotor, Montenegro, E-mail: spbdobrota@cg.yu
Aleksandar Tomcuk
Affiliation:
Forensic ward, Psychiatric Hospital Kotor Dobrota b.b., 85330 Kotor, Montenegro, E-mail: spbdobrota@cg.yu
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Abstract

Type
Posters – Psychiatry
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Introduction/Objectives:

Analysis ofdiagnostic categories in respect to character of felony committed, among the patients on forensic ward of Specialized Psychiatric Hospital Kotor, Montenegro, reveals that 5 of 21 hospitalized patients who committed homicide where tempore criminis in a state of unaccountability due to mental illness – paranoid schizophrenia psychosis.

Participants, Materials/Methods:

In 4 of 5 cases mentioned, illness was diagnosed for the first time during forensic -psychiatric expertise and so, based on assessment of clinical status of subject and their occupational and social disfunctionality, it is ascertained that the beginning of illness dates from the period much prior to the crime committed, but the patients didn't have psychiatric treatment and have never taken antipsychotic therapy.

Results:

Regular application of psychopharmacological protocol led to a reduction of psychotic phenomenology and, according to indicators on scale of aggression, to a significant decrease in estimated risk from auto and hetero destructive behavior.

Conclusions:

Regarding that further larger number of chronically ill patients who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia and are regularly treated never committed a crime in their personal history (do not have criminal behavior in their personal history), even though it is a psychiatric disorder permanent in character, mentally ill patients cannot be considered permanently aggressive toward the surroundings or themselves.