The real question of mental illness and crime

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FranzOren
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07 Jun 2025, 7:10 pm

When articles say that there is no link between mental illness and crime, I really wonder what mental disorders they are talking about, because in very rare cases mental illness plays a role in criminal behavior and it also depends on what type of mental disorders we are talking about.

The point is that DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 explains that some mental disorders can play a role in criminal behavior, depending on what those mental disorders are, but DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 also explains that most people with mental illness are much more likely to be victims than being a perpetrator.

When articles say that there is no link between mental illness and crime repeatedly, it sends the wrong message that it's always the neurotypicals that commit crimes, when in fact, some mental disorders can make some individuals even more dangerous than a neurotypical criminal, although it's statistically rare.

It is true that most people with mental illness are much more likely to be the victims than being a perpetrators, but in very rare cases, mental illness can play a role in criminal behavior, and some mental disorders have elements of criminal behavior.

I don't just read those articles, I read DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, the diagnostic manuals explain the complexity, than what those articles say.



cyberdora
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07 Jun 2025, 9:46 pm

Hi Franz, I remember having this conversation with you 10 years ago. If a person has a severe mental illness, they may have other risk factors for violent behavior. So, it may not be the diagnosed mental illness that's responsible.

For example autism is not in itself a risk factor, but comorbid conditions may be a factor in some people with autism experiencing meltdowns and/or externalising behaviour perhaps as a way of coping.

Infact people with mental illness are more likely to be a victim of violent crime than the perpetrator.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537064/

each person is different and findings in some literature is difficult to apply across all people diagnosed with autism.



FranzOren
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07 Jun 2025, 9:58 pm

Thank you for the information. I was talking about mental disorders, not only about ASD.