Objective: Contradictions between mental health status reports issued for perpetrators are tried to be solved at the Psychiatric Observation Department (POD) of the Council of Forensic Medicine. With this study, we intend to determine the sociodemographic features, criminal acts and psychiatric medication use of perpetrators. Also we want to show the impact of using psychiatric medication before/after criminal act and previous criminal insanity reports prepared by different hospitals and POD.
Method: Sixty arrested and 60 non-arrested perpetrators, who were referred consecutively to the POD, were drawn out to a detailed interview, their case files were investigated and the forms we prepared were filled in depth.
Results: According to our study; 97% of arrested perpetrators were male; mean age was 33.6 on the date of criminal act and 35.4 on the date of observation; 67% were single and 57% were unemployed. Likewise, 87% of non-arrested perpetrators were male; mean age was 33.2 on the date of criminal act and 35.7 on the date of observation; 52% were single and 73% were unemployed. Smoking, alcohol and drug usage rates were respectively 82%, 45%, 43% among arrested perpetrators and 77%, 47%, 23% among non-arrested perpetrators, in the same order. Major criminal acts of arrested perpetrators were homicide (35%), battery (17%) and sexual assault (23%). As well as non-arrested perpetrators major criminal acts were battery (30%), sexual assault (18%), and robbery (12%). Before applying to POD; psychotic disorder was diagnosed in 22% and mood disorders were diagnosed in 10% of arrested perpetrators. Moreover psychotic disorder was diagnosed in 18% and mood disorders were diagnosed in 17% of non-arrested perpetrators. Rate of psychiatric medication use before the criminal act, after the criminal act and one month before applying the POD are recorded respectively as, 25%, 48%, 53% for arrested perpetrators and 52%, 58%, 55% for non-arrested perpetrators, in the same order. During the first examination of the POD; number of perpetrators, who stated that they were using quetiapine, risperidone, olanzapine, haloperidol, biperiden, mood stabilizers, antidepressant and benzodiazepine were respectively 13(22%),2,2,1,3,3,8,2 among arrested perpetrators and 11(18%),5,4, 3,9,7,6,3 among non-arrested perpetrators. Both of the groups stayed at the POD 5-6 days in average. At the end of the observation period it was stated in the POD’s report that 97% of arrested perpetrators and 93% of non-arrested perpetrators has criminal responsibility.
Conclusion: One fourth of the arrested perpetrators and half of the non-arrested perpetrators declared a use of psychiatric medication before the criminal act. One fourth of arrested perpetrators began using medication after criminal act. More than 50% of both groups confirmed a use of a psychiatric medication 1 month before applying the POD. Therefore, it was learned that too many medications were used; quetiapine was the most common medication in both groups. As a consequence; previous criminal insanity reports and history of medication use do not have clear effect on the decisions of POD.