Two Studies Should Lead to Radical Change in Mental Illness Treatment

The first study was conducted in Australia and found  individuals with schizophrenia – even those who do not have substance abuse problems – are significantly more violent than the general population.  The study found

·      25% of individuals with schizophrenia were charged with a criminal offense during their lifetime, compared with 10% of community controls.

·      6.4% of those with schizophrenia were found guilty of a violent offense, and 22.8% of those with schizophrenia plus substance abuse were found guilty of a violent offense compared to 2.4% of the general population