Citation

Patchan K, Vyas G, Hackman AL, Mackowick M, Richardson CM, Love RC, Wonodi I, Sayer MA, Glassman M, Feldman S, Kelly DL. Psychiatr. Q. 2018; 89(1): 157-168.

Affiliation

Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, PO Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA. dkelly@mprc.umaryland.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11126-017-9521-z

PMID

28643049

Abstract

Popular media often portray people with a mental illness as being aggressive, violent, and incarcerated as a result of their behavior. Despite exaggeration in the media, risks for some aggressive behaviors are in fact higher in individuals with schizophrenia. This is often the case with influence of comorbid substance use disorders. It is essential that mental health professionals are aware of treatments that may help with attenuating and treating behaviors that contribute to violence, aggression and incarceration. This paper reviews violence and incarceration in individuals with schizophrenia as well as recommendations, guidelines and benefits for the use of clozapine in this population. Clozapine remains one of the most underutilized evidence-based medications available in the psychiatric arena in the United States. It is a viable and recommended option in the forensic population and it may be helpful on the path to recovery as well as bring substantial savings to the criminal justice system.

Language: en

Keywords

Aggression; Clozapine; Criminal justice; Forensic; Violence