Biopsychosocial Characteristics of Children Who Later Murder: A Prospective Study

• NCJ Number: 107119
• Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 142 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1985) Pages: 1161-1167
• Author(s): D O Lewis; E Moy; L D Jackson; R Aaronson; N Restifo; S Serra; A Simos
• Date Published: 1985
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): JN-AX-0006
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The authors document the childhood neuropsychiatric and family characteristics of nine male subjects who were clinically evaluated as adolescents and were later arrested for murder.

Abstract

Those subjects are compared with 24 incarcerated delinquents who did not go on to commit violent offenses. The future murderers displayed a constellation of biopsychosocial characteristics that included psychotic symptoms, major neurological impairment, a psychotic first-degree relative, violent acts during childhood, and severe physical abuse. The authors relate this combination of factors to prediction of violence and discuss ethical issues that are involved in intervention to prevent violence. (Publisher abstract)