OBJECTIVE: To study the population of a high security hospital according to its criminal records, clinical diagnosis and victim profile. METHODS: The records of 269 patients were analyzed, considering only male patients whose medical reports had already been included in the criminal-psychiatric records. RESULTS: Psychotic disorders were the most common findings (58%). The most common type of crime was murder or murder attempt (52.8%), with a significant correlation between psychotic disorders and this type of crime (p < 0.05). These crimes led to death in 89.7% of the cases, and in 34.5% the victim was a close relative. Mentally retarded patients committed proportionally more sexual crimes when compared to psychotic patients and considering only sexual crimes or murder attempts (p < 0.05). In 78.5% of all sexual crimes the victims were under 14 years old. CONCLUSION: The studied population is similar to the ones of other institutions with the same profile. The data on the victims, both murders committed by psychotic patients and sexual crimes committed by mentally retarded individuals, show that aspects of the victim are to be considered when analyzing the crime.
forensic psychiatry; mental disease; violent behavior; security hospital
