A Study of Murder in Schizophrenic Patients Characteristics of the murders of family and nonfamily homicides.

Korean J Leg Med. 1999 Oct;23(2):37-41. Korean.

Korean Institution of Forensic Psychiatry, Ministry of Justice, Korea.

Sixty schizophrenia patients who committed homicide and detained after January 1, 1993 were divided in two groups, depending on whether their victim was a family member or not. Below conclusions were deduced from the comparison of the two groups in terms including demographic characteristics, onset and duration of illness, IQ score, suicidal attempts, history of alcohol/drug abuse or past crime, neuropsychiatric ward admission history, living circumstance, conflict with the victim, and adolescent conducting behavior. 1. More in the family homiciding patients (FHP) group lived alone due their unmarried, divorced, or separated marital status than those in the non-family homiciding patients (NFHP) group. More in the FHP group were in married state than those in NFHP group. 2. More in the NFHP group stayed alone apart from their family, while more in the FHP group lived with their family. 3. Those in the NFHP group show more frequent suicidal attempts than those in the FHP group, implying they have difficulties in the control of their impulsive behaviors. 4. To prevent the crime, it is essential for the government to practice the systematic support and care of the schizophrenia patients who are living alone, especially those without relative.

Key words: Schizophrenic patients, Homicide