Comparison of sociodemographic, clinical and forensic characteristics of delusional disorder cases with and without violent crime history: a comparative-descriptive retrospective study from Turkey.

Abstract

This study examines the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with delusional disorder who have committed crimes, with a particular focus on the factors that contribute to criminal behaviour and the criminal characteristics that are exhibited by this group. Furthermore, this study presents the inaugural analysis of criminal responsibility and legal capacity in this patient population. The data from the Turkish Council of Forensic Medicine (2018-2022) were subjected to retrospective analysis, with a comparison made between the 54 cases evaluated for criminal responsibility. The results demonstrated that patients with criminal histories exhibited elevated rates of divorce, diminished educational attainment, increased hospitalisations, and a higher prevalence of erotomanic and religious delusions. Males were more likely to commit crimes against their spouses, while females targeted their neighbours. Males also predominated in objections to guardianship decisions. These characteristics are associated with an increased risk of criminal involvement.