Clinical and social aspects of crime

Abstract

Abstract This chapter begins with a description of crime to the forensic psychiatrist, and the prevalence and measurement of crime. It then begins to outline the psychology and philosophy of volition. The rest of the chapter covers both violent crime and sexual crime, with a rationale for dividing violent and sexual offending in forensic psychiatry. Under violent offences it covers the social factors associated with offending, the neurobiology of violence, adverse childhood experiences, unconscious factors, a developmental perspective, gang crime, extremism, terrorism, and radicalisation, and aims to answer the question on whether mental disorders cause violence. It also covers homicide, non-fatal assaults, and fire-setting behaviours. Under sexual crime, it covers stalking, sexual offending in its social context, offences against adults, children, and other types of sexual offending.