Abstract
BackgroundDespite high rates of self-reported crime victimisation, no study to date has compared official victimisation records of people with severe mental illness with a random community sample. Accordingly, this study sought to determine whether persons with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders have higher rates of recorded victimisation than the general population, and to explore whether there have been changes in rates of recorded victimisation over a period of deinstitutionalisation.MethodsThe schizophrenia-spectrum cases were drawn from a state-wide public mental health register, comprising all persons first diagnosed with a schizophrenic illness in five year cohorts between 1975 – 2005. The criminal histories of 4,168 persons diagnosed with schizophrenic-spectrum disorders were compared to those of a randomly selected community sample of 4,641 individuals.ResultsCompared to community controls, patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were significantly more likely to have a record of violent (10.1% vs. 6.6%, odds ratio 1.4) and sexually violent victimisation (1.7% vs. 0.3%, odds ratio 2.77), but less likely to have an official record of victimisation overall (28.7% vs. 39.1%, odds ratio 0.5). Over the approximate period of deinstitutionalisation, the rate of recorded victimisation has more than doubled in schizophrenia-spectrum patients, but stayed relatively constant in the general community.ConclusionsPeople with schizophrenic-spectrum disorders are particularly vulnerable to violent crime victimisation; although co-morbid substance misuse and criminality both heighten the chances of victimisation, they cannot fully account for the increased rates. Deinstitutionalisation may have, in part, contributed to an unintended consequence of increasing rates of victimisation amongst the seriously mentally ill.
Highlights
Despite high rates of self-reported crime victimisation, no study to date has compared official victimisation records of people with severe mental illness with a random community sample
One in ten schizophrenia-spectrum patients had a record of violent crime victimisation; this group were significantly more likely than the controls to have a record of violent victimisation, but less likely to have an overall record of victimisation
Rates of sexual violence victimisation were significantly higher in the schizophrenia-spectrum group than the controls (1.7% vs. 0.3%, p
Summary
Despite high rates of self-reported crime victimisation, no study to date has compared official victimisation records of people with severe mental illness with a random community sample. People with mental illness typically report that they suffer high levels of crime victimisation [1,2,3]. Crime victimisation can lead to multiple adverse outcomes, and has been associated with increased levels of Whilst there has been considerably more research on mentally ill persons as perpetrators, rather than victims, of violence [7,8], there is a growing volume of victimisation research [9]. It is increasingly being recognised that people with severe mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence than to commit violent crimes [9,10]. What the extant literature does suggest is that victimisation is likely to occur amongst mental health clients who are female [5,13], homeless or itinerant [12,14], or those who have more severe psychotic symptoms [2,15], co-morbid substance abuse [15,16], or criminal offending histories [17]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
