On social dangerousness of mental patients

Abstract

The relationship of the definition of social dangerousness and its application to mental patients is explored from a criminology perspective wherein social dangerousness is described as a universal concept used to assess damage done to society; and a socially dangerous individual is defined as having the potential to commit an offense. The risk of social dangerousness of mental patients is high and typically occurs during the first 4 years of the illness. It is dependent upon complex interactions between psychopathologic phenomena, environmental stimuli, and personality characteristics of the patient; and detection requires a general definition of the dangerous psychotic state and an elaboration of the methods for diagnosis. © 1989 Oxford University Press.