OBJECTIVE: In the last two decades, parallel to the increase in the number of female offenders, the number of the studies researching the women’s characteristics, the nature of the crime and the conditions for the crime process has also increased. The purpose of this study is to research the clinical and socio-demographic factors affecting the repetitive crime in women prisoners.
METHOD: A total of 105 female prisoners, who applied for psychiatric examination within the organization of Istanbul Bakirkoy Women’s Prison and who granted their written consent have been included in the study. The socio-demographic data collection form, created by the researchers, and the SCID-I form for Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, DSM-IV for Axis II Disorders, and also Taylor’s Crime Severity Grading Scale, developed by Taylor have been utilized. The sample group was divided into two groups as repetitive offenders (25 people) and non-repetitive offenders (80 people), and such groups were compared socio-demographically according to their crime types and clinical characteristics.
RESULTS: In our study, it has been detected that repetitive offenders have more crime histories in their family, their psychiatric disease was initiated at earlier ages, they have longer disease histories, they have more applications to the psychiatric institution, they perform more selfdestructive behaviours, they have experienced more suicidal attempts, the second axis disorders are more apparent for them, they have more alcohol and substance abuse, and they have also used alcohol substance while committing a crime. It has been determined that substance abuse, self-destruction, and separation in the family are independent factors predicting the repetitive crime apparently.
CONCLUSION: Multidimensional evaluation of women, who commit repetitive crimes, by mental health professionals and the judicial system will be more effective in preventing new crimes.