Citation

White T. Med. Sci. Law 2004; 44(2): 133-139.

Affiliation

Murray Royal Hospital, Muirhall Road, Perth, Scotland PH2 7BH. tom.white@tpct.scot.nhs.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, British Academy of Forensic Sciences, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15176626

Abstract

The background, offence characteristics and psychiatric diagnosis were reviewed of 115 referrals of offenders charged with homicide made by procurators fiscal to the State Hospital, Carstairs, Scotland's only special secure hospital. A retrospective casenote review was performed using a structured questionnaire. A higher percentage of mental illness and substance misuse (11% and 40%) was recorded than that reported by Gillies in 1976. The results are discussed in the context of comparable studies and, in particular, the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness and the Discussion Paper on Insanity and Diminished Responsibility published by the Scottish Law Commission.

Language: en