NCJ Number
60931
Date Published
1975
Length
6 pages
Annotation
CASE HISTORIES ILLUSTRATE THE DIFFICULTIES IN DETERMINING THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCHIZOPHRENIA TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. ORTHOMOLECULAR THERAPY IS HELPFUL IN MAKING A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS.
Abstract
THE OVERALL INCIDENCE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS NO HIGHER IN SCHIZOPHRENICS THAN IN THE GENERAL POPULATION, BUT WHEN SCHIZOPHRENICS COMMIT CRIME, THE ACTIVITY IS LIKELY TO BE BIZARRE. FREQUENTLY SUCH PERSONS ARE DIAGNOSED AS PSYCHOTIC BECAUSE THEY HAVE LEARNED TO MASK THEIR SYMPTOMS, OR THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN INTERVIEWED ON SUCH ASPECTS OF THEIR ILLNESS AS HALLUCINATIONS. THIS OVERSIGHT COULD HAMPER ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS. THE CRITERIA FOR SUCH DETERMINATION IS VAGUE, AND THUS RISKS DEPRIVING THE PERSON OF TREATMENT AND A CHANCE OF RECOVERY. KNOWING THE PHYSIOCHEMICAL FACTORS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA, SUCH AS DETERMINED BY THE ORTHOMOLECULAR METHOD, AS WELL AS THE PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AND THE INTERACTION OF THE TWO CAN HELP TO DETERMINE THE UNBALANCE AND LEAD TO TREATMENT. THIS APPROACH, TREATING THE BODY CHEMISTRY AS WELL AS THE BEHAVIOR, WILL HELP IN CRIME PREVENTION BY GOING TO THE SOURCE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. WHILE THIS DOES NOT EXCUSE THE SICK PERSON FROM RESPONSIBILITY, IT GIVES GREATER ASSURANCE OF EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND ADEQUATE TREATMENT COULD PREVENT CRIME. (RFC)