A study for Patients Admitted to National Forensic Psychiatric Hospital Who Committed Homicides or Assaults to Their Parents or Offsprings.

Korean J Leg Med. 2004 May;28(1):55-62. Korean.

National Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, Ministry of Justice, Korea. bumlee@yahoo.com

This study analyzed demographic factors, previous history of offences and psychopathological characteristics of mentally ill patients who committed homicides or assaults upon their parents or offsprings. The subjects were those admitted to National Forensic Psychiatric Hospital from 1987 till 2000, among whom were excluded those admitted for forensic psychiatric evaluations by court. Homicide group of subjects was compared with assault group of subjects upon their demographic factors, previous history of offences and psychopathological characteristics. The subjects who committed offences to their parents were compared with those who committed offences to their offsprings upon demographic factors, previous history of offences and psychopathological characteristics. Conclusion is as follows: 1. More male subjects committed offences either homicide or assault than female subjects. 2. More male subjects committed offences to their parents than female subjects, whereas more female subjects committed offences to their offsprings than male subjects. 3. Subjects `mean age is 32.24. The subjects under 30 years of age committed more homicide than subjects older than 30. Subjects older than 30 committed more assaults than subjects under 30. Subjects under 30 committed more homicides to their parents, and subjects older than 30 committed more homicides to their offsprings. 4. Subjects with education level above 9th grade committed more homicide than subjects with education level below 9th grade. 5. Subjects without spouse committed more offences their parents, whereas subjects with spouse committed more offences to their offsprings. 6. Subjects with no previous offence or with one previous offence committed more offences to their parents or offsprings than those with 2 or more previous offences. 7. Offences to parents is more frequent for schizophrenic subjects and offences to offsprings is more frequent for non-schizophrenic subjects.(esp. mood disorder). 8. Offences to parents is more frequent for subjects with previous history of psychiatric admission. Offences to offsprings is more frequent for subjects without previous history of psychiatric admission.

Key Words : Homicide, Parents, Offspring