NCJ Number
57862
Journal
Comprehensive Psychiatry Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY/AUGUST 1977) Pages: 337-345
Date Published
1977
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF 1,195 DEFENDANTS SENT TO A ST. LOUIS, MO. FORENSIC SERVICE, FROM 1952 THROUGH 1973, SHOWS AN INCREASING REFERRAL OF VIOLENT AND YOUNG DEFENDANTS.
Abstract
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, SOURCE OF REFERRAL, PURPOSE OF THE EXAMINATION, CRIMINAL CHARGES, AND THE REPORT TO THE COURT WERE ANALYZED FOR EVERY DEFENDANT FOR WHOM A COURT REPORT WAS PREPARED. MOST REFERRALS (92 PERCENT) WERE MADE TO DETERMINE COOMPETENCY AND/OR SANITY AT THE TIME THE CRIME(S) WAS COMMITTED. A PROFOUND CHANGE AS OCCURRED IN COMPETENCY DETERMINATION OVER THIS PERIOD. WHILE 83 PERCENT OF REFERRALS WERE FOUND COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL DURING THE EARLIEST PERIOD, THE PERCENTAGE HAS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED TO 94 PERCENT DURING THE LATEST PERIOD. DATA SHOWED THAT WHILE BETWEEN 1952 AND 1963, DEFENDANTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 20 TO 24 ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY 20 PERCENT OF ALL REFERRALS, THIS FIGURE INCREASED TO ALMOST 39 PERCENT FROM 1969 TO 1973. THE SHARP INCREASE IN REFERRALS FOR VIOLENT CRIMES IS SHOWN IN THE FACT THAT HOMICIDE REFERRALS HAVE RISEN FROM 4.4 PERCENT DURING THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO 18.5 PERCENT FOR THE LATEST PERIOD. THE DECLINE IN PERSONS CHARGED WITH 'OTHER' CRIMES--SUCH AS VAGRANCY AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT--RESULTS FROM INCREASING POLICE AWARENESS THAT SUCH OFFENSES OFTEN INDICATE MENTAL ILLNESS. POLICE ARE INCREASINGLY LESS LIKELY TO FILE CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST SUCH OFFENDERS. INSTEAD, THE POLICE BRING THEM DIRECTLY TO HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT. A LITERATURE REVIEW OF OTHER FORENSIC SERVICES IN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES SUGGESTS THAT THE INCREASED REFERRAL OF YOUNG, ANTISOCIAL, CHEMICALLY-DEPENDENT (DRUGS AND ALCOHOL) DEFENDANTS IS WIDESPREAD. PSYCHIATRY'S LIMITED SUCCESS IN DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS SUGGESTS THE NEED FOR TREATMENT RESEARCH. TABLES, GRAPHS, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)