Citation

Valença AM, Nardi AE, Nascimento I, Jozef F, Mendlowicz MV. J. Forensic Sci. 2014; 59(3): 790-792.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Universidade Federal Fluminense (MSM-UFF). Rua Marquês do Paraná 303 - 3° andar do Prédio Anexo, Niterói, RJ, Brazil; Institute of Psychiatry Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IPUB - UFRJ), Avenida Venceslau Brás, 71 fundos , Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.12373

PMID

24502443

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the mental status of all women (n = 14) who were acquitted by reason of insanity of charges of murder or attempted murder and committed to a forensic psychiatric hospital in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All cases were retrospectively examined, including medical files, technical records, and forensic experts' official reports. A conclusive psychiatric diagnosis was established using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I and II Disorders and clinical and forensic records. The most common diagnosis was schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders (n = 8; 57.3%). Most victims (n = 12; 75%) were close relatives of the patients. We found that 43% (n = 6) of the patients had a previous history of violent behavior. According to the initial psychiatric forensic evaluation, 5 patients (35.7%) had psychotic symptoms. It is expected that a growing understanding of motivational factors underlying homicidal behavior in mentally disturbed female offenders may further the implementation of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions.

Language: en