Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T04:58:03.782Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mentally Retarded Criminal Offenders in Denmark

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Jens Lund
Jens Lund*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatric Demography, Aarhus Psychiatric Hospital, DK-8240 Risskov, Denmark
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Based on data from the Danish Central Criminal Register, the total number of mentally retarded offenders serving statutory care orders on a census day decreased from 290 in 1973 to 91 in 1984. The reduction was caused by shorter sentences and a dramatic decrease in the number of sentenced borderline retarded offenders; the total number of sentences per year slightly decreased, and the number of first-time sentences was stable. Crimes of property are decreasing among this population, while violence, arson, and sexual offences are increasing. Behaviour disorder was found in 87.5% of 91 offenders serving care orders in 1984. Offensive behaviour was significantly predicted by early institutionalisation, having retarded or divorced parents of low socio-economic status, and behaviour disorder of social-aggressive type. Independent significant effects were attributed to behaviour disorder and low socioeconomic background. All predictors were closely correlated. Biological factors did not have any significant predictive value.

Type
Lecture
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 156 , Issue 5 , May 1990 , pp. 726 - 731
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1990 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aagaard, J. (1986) Prediction of educational achievement, behaviour and health at school using information from infancy health service. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 4, 115–121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Betaenkning (1982) Betænkning om Foranstaltninger over for Åndssvage of Andre Svagt Begavede Lovovertrœdere (government report). Afgivet af det af justitsministeriet den 24 September 1970 nedsatte udvalg. No. 955. K⊘benhavn: Justitsministeriet.Google Scholar
Bishop, Y. M. M., Fienberg, S. E. & Holland, P. W. (1975) Discrete Multivariate Analysis. Theory and Practice. London: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Bluglass, R. S. (1980) The law relating to mental handicap and to the mentally handicapped offenders. In Modern Management of Mental Handicap (ed. Simon, G. B.). Lancaster: MTP Press.Google Scholar
Day, K. (1988) A hospital-based treatment programme for male mentally handicapped offenders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 635–644.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fleiss, J. G., Williams, J. B. W. & Durbro, D. F. (1986) The logistic regression analysis of psychiatric data. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 20, 195–209.Google Scholar
Goddard, H. H. (1920) Human Efficiency and Levels of Intelligence. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Goring, C. (1913) The English Convict. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Hurwitz, S. & Christiansen, K. O. (1968) Kriminologi I. Copenhagen: Gyldendals Forlagstrykkeri.Google Scholar
Ipsen, J. & Fejgel, P. (1966) Appropriate scores for clinical and public health variables. American Journal of Public Health, 56, 1287–1295.Google Scholar
Jonsson, G. (1967) Delinquent Boys, Their Parents and Grandparents. Copenhagen: Munksgaard.Google ScholarPubMed
J⊘rgensen, P. & Aagaard, J. (1988) A multivariate predictor analysis of course and outcome in delusional psychosis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 77, 543–550.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lund, J. (1985) The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in mentally retarded adults. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 72, 563–570.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McLaughlin, M. V. (1988) Forensic aspects of mental handicap-Ireland (abstract). In Abstracts. 8th World Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Mental Deficiency. Dublin: IASSMD.Google Scholar
Mulligan, G., Douglas, J. W. B., Hammond, W. A., et al (1963) Delinquency and symptoms of maladjustment: the findings of a longitudinal study. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 56, 1083–1088.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robins, L. N. (1970) Follow-up studies investigating childhood disorders. In Psychiatric Epidemiology. Proceedings of the International Symposium Held at Aberdeen University, 22–25 July, 1969. (ed. Hare, E. H. & Wing, J. K.), pp. 29–68. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Sutherland, E. H. (1931) Crime and the Penal System. London: University Tutorial Press.Google Scholar
Walker, N. & McCabe, S. (1973) Crime and Insanity in England, Vol. II: New Solutions and New Problems. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.Google Scholar
Woodward, M. (1955) The role of low intelligence in delinquency. British Journal of Delinquency, 5, 281–303.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.