Crime and victimisation in people with intellectual disability: a case linkage study

BMC Psychiatry

Research Article

Michael Daffern¹  James R. P. Ogloff²  Billy C. Fogden³  Stuart D. M. Thomas⁴ 

[1] Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia;Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia;Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia;Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, 2522, New South Wales, Australia;Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, 2522, New South Wales, Australia;School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Building 37, Level 4, Swanston Street, 3001, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia;Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia;

关键词: Intellectual disability;    Victimisation;    Offending;    Mental disorder;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-016-0869-7

 received in 2015-12-21, accepted in 2016-05-16,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundStudies have suggested that people with intellectual disability are disproportionately involved in crime both as perpetrators and victims.MethodA case linkage design used three Australian contact-level databases, from disability services, public mental health services and police records. Rates of contact, and official records of victimisation and criminal charges were compared to those in a community sample without intellectual disability.ResultsAlthough people with intellectual disability were significantly less likely to have an official record of victimisation and offending overall, their rates of violent and sexual victimisation and offending were significantly higher. The presence of comorbid mental illness considerably increased the likelihood of victimisation and offending; several sex differences were also noted.ConclusionsPeople with intellectual disability are at increased risk for both violent and sexual victimisation and offending. The presence of comorbid mental illness aggravates the risk of offending and victimisation. Future research should focus on a more nuanced exploration of the risks associated with intellectual disability and specific mental disorders and related indices of complexity.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Fogden et al. 2016