Evidence for Two Levels of Intimate Partner Violence and Aggression Among Incarcerated Young Male Violent Offenders.

Furthering knowledge of the subset of incarcerated partner violent offenders distinguished by aggression, anger, and hostility is relevant, as these offenders are guilty of the more severe kinds of intimate partner violence (IPV). Our aim was to identify groups with different patterns of IPV among convicted young Swedish male offenders, using data from the Development of Aggressive Antisocial Behavior Study, including 171 young men (18-25 years) convicted of a violent crime. Cluster analysis was used to identify different clusters based on amount and severity of IPV in combination with measures of anger, hostility, aggression, and psychopathic personality traits. The results point to an association between antisocial development, criminal history, the severity of current crime, and measures of aggression, hostility, and partner abuse. The cluster defined by higher levels of partner abuse and aggression was significantly associated with early onset conduct disorder.

Dating violence compared to other types of violence: similar offenders but different victims / La violencia en las relaciones sentimentales en comparación con otros tipos de violencia: los mismos delincuentes con diferentes víctimas

The aim of this study was to characterize young dating violent offenders (DVO), and to compare them to the general population and to young offenders with violent crimes directed against other victims. We have used data from the Development of Aggressive Antisocial Behaviour Study, in all 262 young men, 18 to 25 years, convicted of violent crimes and imprisoned in the Western Region of the Swedish Prison and Probation Services. We found that young DVO offenders differed from the general population in all investigated areas; however, the group did not differ in comparisons to other young violent offenders. Our results highlight the antisocial aspects of dating violent crime being rooted in aggressive antisocial behaviour, lacking signs of any specific offender type characteristics, thus questioning the validity of crime specific treatment programs in prison for young offenders of dating violence (AU)

El presente estudio ha tenido por objetivo la caracterización de los jóvenes delincuentes violentos en sus relaciones sentimentales («DVO» en su acrónimo inglés) y su comparación tanto con el conjunto de la población como con otros delincuentes violentos jóvenes que han cometido delitos con otro tipo de víctimas. Hemos empleado datos del estudio sobre desarrollo de conducta antisocial violenta con 262 jóvenes varones de entre 18 y 25 años de edad condenados por delitos violentos y encarcelados en la Región Oeste del Servicio de Prisiones y Libertad Vigilada de Suecia y hallado que los jóvenes delincuentes de tipo DVO se diferenciaban del resto de la población en todas las áreas objeto de estudio. Sin embargo, no mostraban discrepancias con respecto a otros delincuentes violentos jóvenes. Nuestros resul-tados destacan que los aspectos antisociales de los delitos violentos en las relaciones sentimentales tienen su base en una conducta antisocial violenta, sin indicios de vinculación con un tipo específico de delincuentes, lo cual cuestiona la validez de los programas penitenciarios para el tratamiento de delitos específicos orientados a delincuentes jóvenes condenados por violencia en las relaciones sentimentales (AU)

Age at onset of substance abuse: a crucial covariate of psychopathic traits and aggression in adult offenders.

To examine age at onset of substance abuse in relation to other factors of relevance to criminal behavior, we compared Life History of Aggression (LHA) scores, traits of psychopathy according to the Psychopathy Checklist--Revised (PCL-R), and violent recidivism in 100 violent offenders with early (before the age of 18) versus late onset of abuse or dependence. Of 56 subjects with a history of alcohol and/or drug abuse, an early onset was ascertained in 31. The duration of abuse did not correlate with the LHA and PCL-R scores or with violent recidivism, but the age at onset correlated strongly with all these factors and also remained their strongest correlate in multivariate models including childhood-onset attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and drug abuse as covariates. Strong mathematical associations with aggression, psychopathy, and recidivism pointed to age at onset of substance abuse as a marker of possible complications that require preventive social, educational and medical measures.

The childhood-onset neuropsychiatric background to adulthood psychopathic traits and personality disorders.

Childhood conduct disorder (CD) and adult psychopathic traits according to the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) were the closest psychiatric covariates to repeated violent crimes and aggression among offenders under forensic psychiatric investigation in Sweden. As psychopathy is not included in the present psychiatric diagnostic systems, we compared total and factor PCL-R scores to Axis I disorders, including childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders, and to Axis II personality disorders, to establish the convergence of psychopathic traits with other psychiatric diagnoses, and to identify possible unique features. Psychopathic traits were positively correlated with bipolar mood disorder and negatively with unipolar depression. The total PCL-R scores as well as the Factor 2 (unemotionality) and Factor 3 (behavioral dyscontrol) scores were significantly correlated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Asperger's syndrome/high-functioning autistic traits, CD, substance abuse, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Cluster B personality disorders. The interpersonal Factor 1 showed none of these correlations and may capture features that are specific to psychopathy, distinguishing core psychopathy from other diagnostic definitions.

Adult psychopathic personality with childhood-onset hyperactivity and conduct disorder: a central problem constellation in forensic psychiatry.

To describe lifetime mental disorders among perpetrators of severe inter-personal crimes and to identify the problem domains most closely associated with aggression and a history of repeated violent criminality, we used structured interviews, clinical assessments, analyses of intellectual functioning, medical and social files, and collateral interviews in 100 consecutive subjects of pretrial forensic psychiatric investigations. Childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), learning disability, tics and autism spectrum disorders] affected 55% of the subjects and formed complex comorbidity patterns with adult personality disorders [including psychopathic traits according to the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R)], mood disorders and substance abuse. The closest psychiatric covariates to high Lifetime History of Aggression (LHA) scores and violent recidivism were the PCL-R scores and childhood conduct disorder (CD). Behavioral and affective PCL-R factors were closely associated with childhood AD/HD, CD, and autistic traits. The results support the notion that childhood-onset social and behavioral problems form the most relevant psychiatric symptom cluster in relation to pervasive adult violent behavior, while late-onset mental disorders are more often associated with single acts of violent or sexual aggression.