Sociodemographic, psychiatric and criminal characteristics of elderly offenders under evaluation for criminal responsibility in Turkey

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine a sample (n = 150) of elderly offenders to analyse the psychiatric, medical, demographic, criminal and if available neuropsychological test characteristics and criminal responsibility.

Method

Data were gathered through a retrospective chart review of applicants aged 65 and over who were referred for determination of criminal responsibility from 2014 to 2019 at the Observation Department of Council of Forensic Medicine (Adli Tip Kurumu Baskanligi, Gözlem İhtisas Dairesi) who were evaluated under inpatient status by law.

Results

There were 150 forensic cases aged 65 and over. The majority of the crimes were homicide (25.3%), homicide attempt (10%), and sexual offence (26%). The majority of sexual offence victims were children (34 of 39 cases). The percentages of decisions on criminal liability were as follows: 76% (n = 114) had full criminal liability, 21.3% of them (n = 32) had no criminal liability, 2.7% of them (n = 4) had reduced criminal liability. For the reduced/no criminal liability group, diagnoses were as follows: 37.1% dementia syndromes, 31.4% schizophrenia, 11.5% delusional disorder and 2.8% bipolar disorder manic episode.

Conclusion

When the findings in our study and current literature data are examined, it is seen that certain crime groups such as murder and attempted murder, and sexual crimes against children are high in elderly forensic psychiatric evaluations.