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Objective: The Council of Forensic Medicine (CFM) is the highest level of governmental institutions that gives expertise service in Turkey and its headquarters is in Istanbul. Perpetrators are sent to the CFM Psychiatric Observation Department (POD) for psychiatric observation to find out if they have any mental problems or not. There are few studies about the medico-legal problems of foreigners in Turkey. Moreover, there are no studies for their criminal responsibility. Purpose of this study is to define sociodemographic features, criminal acts and criminal responsibilities of foreigners and to find similarities and differences between Turkish and foreigner perpetrators of same gender and similar age that stayed in the POD of CFM at the same time period.
Methods: For this study, 15418 cases, sent to POD between years 1993 and 2012, were investigated one by one. Two groups were formed. Study group consisted of all foreigners sent to POD between 1993 and 2012. Control group consisted of Turkish perpetrators, having same gender and similar age (±5) with foreigners who also stayed in POD in the same time period.
Results: It was seen that 60 foreigner perpetrators (0.4%) from 26 different countries were sent between 1993 and 2012. The most frequent group was from Iran with 12 cases, 6 of which were accused of drug trafficking. Twenty eight percent of both groups were females. Foreigner perpetrators’ mean age was 32.2±10.6 at the crime date while Turkish perpetrators’ was 31.7±10.1. Foreigner perpetrators were sent to psychiatric observation 9.7±6.5 months after the crime and observed for 7.6±6.1 days. On the other hand, Turkish perpetrators were sent to psychiatric observation 20.3±29.5 months after the crime and observed for 8.6±5.7 days. Marital status was similar for both groups but educational level of foreign perpetrators was higher than Turkish perpetrators’. Laborers were the group with the highest number among foreigners; farmers were the group with the highest number of Turkish perpetrators. Alcohol and multiple drug use were similar between two groups but diacetylmorphine (heroine) use was higher among foreigners. Sixty eight percent of foreigner perpetrators committed criminal act in Istanbul, this rate was 23% among Turkish perpetrators. Drug trafficking (37%), homicide (30%) and extortion (13%) were the leading crimes among foreigners. On the other hand, homicide (35%), extortion (15%) and wound (13%) were the leading crimes among Turkish perpetrators. 13% of foreigners and 15% of Turkish perpetrators were reported to have no criminal responsibility due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.
Conclusion: This study shows that foreigner perpetrators sent to the POD were mostly male and young adults; most of the crimes were committed in Istanbul. Major crime acts were drug trafficking and homicide, and criminal responsibility results were almost same for the both groups.