Mental Disorder and Crime.

For years, social and behavioral scientists claimed that no relationship exists between mental disorder and violence. This view has always been contrary to the opinions of many law enforcement professionals and the general public. However, in recent years, new evidence has caused many of these researchers to reconsider their positions. In fact, Dr. John Monahan--a leading scholar in the field--now acknowledges a relationship between mental health disorder and violence, and he concedes that previous conclusions to the contrary may have been "premature" and even inaccurate. This book provides an excellent overview of the evidence that changed many researchers' views.

Mental Disorder and Crime is an edited text resulting from an Advanced Study Institute on Crime and Mental Disorder. Some of the foremost scholars in this area are represented, which alone makes the book worth reading. The quality of each chapter is indeed consistent with the reputation of the author, making this a valuable contribution to the literature.

The book is divided into three sections. The first reviews recent research on the association between mental disorder and criminal activity. It begins with a chapter by the editor that describes the rates of criminality and violence among a large group of individuals in Sweden. Other chapters in this section cover followup studies on the Dangerous Behavior Rating Scheme (DBRS), present preliminary data on the MacAuthur Foundation Research Network on Mental Health and Law, discuss patterns of criminality in schizophrenics, compare rates of violence among mentally disordered and nondisordered inmates, and provide a comprehensive, but concise, review of psychopathy.

The book's second section focuses on risk factors for violent behavior. Chapters discuss such developmental factors as hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity in early childhood, outline two types of delinquency, and show how conduct disorder in childhood relates to antisocial symptoms, substance abuse, psychosis, depression, and anxiety in adulthood. Other chapters discuss the roles of neurochemical factors (including serotonin), minor brain damage from perinatal complications, and the role of substance abuse. Despite mounting evidence, researchers remain concerned that these new conclusions might increase the stigma or public fear surrounding mental illness. In response, authors in the final section report how the recent research has changed opinions regarding the relationship between mental disorder and violence and discuss some potential implications for policy and intervention. Although Mental Disorder and Crime is directed more toward researchers and behavioral scientists than law enforcement officials, most of the chapters are organized and presented so clearly that readers need no specialized training to understand the concepts presented. Overall, this is an exceptional book that provides comprehensive coverage and presents "state-of-the-art" information from the foremost writers in the field. For anyone in the criminal justice field, it is well worth reading.

Reviewed by Randy Borum, Psy.D. Fellow in Forensic Psychology Law and Psychiatry Program University of Massachusetts Medical Center Worcester, Massachusetts