Factors Correlated with Psychiatric Recommendations of Incompetency and Insanity

Abstract

One hundred and twenty criminal defendants referred to a state hospital forensic unit underwent extensive examinations for the purpose of arriving at psychiatric recommendations regarding competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility. Seventy variables were abstracted from these evaluations via use of a simple checklist. A series of discriminant function analyses utilizing these variables indicated that highly accurate predictions could be made regarding psychiatric recommendations with respect to both competency and responsibility. Factors most influential in determining these recommendations included mental status at the time of the offense, psychotic symptomatology, and DSM-III diagnoses.

The violence relapse process – a qualitative analysis of high-risk situations and risk communication in mentally disordered offenders

“…Many of the circumstances mentioned by the informants in this study as contributing to their violent relapse have been confirmed in other studies within the risk prediction field. These are, for example, separations (Daniel 1984;Hall 1978;Zamble & Quinsey 1997), drug use (Steadman et al 1998;Swanson 1994;Swanson et al 1990), unstable living conditions (Bartels et al 1991;Fisher 1988), and socialization with antisocial companions (Feldmann et al 1990). However, the informants' descriptions illustrate the high degree of variation in how such risk markers may influence a course of events.…”

Criminal responsibility: Meta‐analysis and study space

“…Pasewark, Bogenberger, Gudeman, and Bieber () found significant effects for employment history, with unemployed defendants more likely to be found insane. Cirincione et al () found unmarried defendants were more often adjudicated insane, while Daniel et al () found no significant relationship between evaluator opinions and marital status.…”

“…The relationship between race/ethnicity and CR outcomes is less consistent, with studies divided on whether Whites or non‐Whites are more likely to be found insane (Boehnert, ; Cirincione et al, ; Daniel et al, ; Johnson et al, ; Warren et al, ). These variable findings may be due to jurisdictional factors.…”

“…Some authors found defendants with increased educational attainment are at a higher likelihood of being opined or found insane (Cirincione et al, ; Daniel et al, ; Pasewark, Jeffrey, et al, ; Rogers et al, ), while other researchers found no association between markers of education or intelligence and evaluator or court opinions (Nestor & Haycock, ). Pasewark, Bogenberger, Gudeman, and Bieber () found significant effects for employment history, with unemployed defendants more likely to be found insane.…”

“…The relationship of criminal history to insanity outcomes is unclear. Some researchers found no differences in outcome on this variable (Boehnert, ; Pasewark, Jeffrey, et al, ) while others have found that defendants without such a history are more likely opined insane (Daniel et al, ; Packer, ; Warren et al, ). Again, these divergent findings could be tied to jurisdictional standards, as Cirincione et al () discovered that the impact of criminal history varied across states in their study.…”