Crime and mental disorders - Profile of a group of inmates in a custody hospital in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Objetives: To study the hospital population in a custody hospital in Rio de Janeiro with regard to demographical, diagnostic and criminal aspects. Methodology: Inmates serving detentional security measures in Custody and Psychiatric Treatment Heitor Carrilho Hospital (Hospital de Custodia e Tratamento Psiquidtrico Heitor Carrilho) in december 2007(n=177) were evaluated in a social-demographic questionnaire applied by staff psychiatrists at the Hospital and had their medical records analyzed according to the diagnosis, previous psychiatric treatment and crime category. The relationship between perpetrators and victims in homicides was evaluated. Results: the population is mainly masculine (80%), single (72%), between 30 to 39 years old (34%), low-education (69%) and unemployed (56%) The most prevalent diagnosis were psychotic disorders (67%) followed by mental retardation (15,2%), disorders due to the use of psychoactive substances (7,3%), personality disorders (4,5%), among others. Most of them (71%) had been under previous psychiatric treatment. Murder was the most common crime (44%) followed by crimes against property (26%), sex crimes (11%), related to drugs (11%) and others. Intrafamiliar murder was prevailing amongst mentally retarded population and psychotics. The former generally committed more sex crimes than the latter. Conclusion: The population profile was compatible with the description of other inmate populations in custody hospitals across the country.