ArticleHealth & justice2023
Guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity? a comparative study of murderers referred for psychiatric examination by court order.
Article in Health & justice, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Homicide Offender Motive Scale (HOMS): A classification system for homicide motives based on a qualitative systematic review.Journal of forensic sciences · 2025Pooled it
- Association between neurodevelopmental disorders and recidivism among forensic outpatients under the Medical Treatment and Supervision Act in Japan: A retrospective cohort study.PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences · 2026Article
- From sacred education to street exploitation: the Almajiri Crisis in Nigeria as a nexus of public health failures, legal paralysis, and global security risks.Philosophy, ethics, and humanities in medicine : PEHM · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundSome murders are committed under the influence of a psychotic state resulting from a mental disorder, mainly schizophrenia. According to the law in many countries, people with mental disorders do not have criminal responsibility. They are defined as not guilty due to insanity (insanity defense) and therefore cannot be punished. In Israel, in recent years, more lawyers are requesting psychiatric opinions for the murder defendants they represent. This study aims to explore the differences between two groups of murderers: individuals who committed murder and were found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) and individuals who committed murder and were found responsible and guilty. The comparison is made from a broad perspective by examining sociodemographic factors and psychiatric factors as well as criminological and forensic factors.
methodsThis study, conducted in Israel, analyzes the sociodemographic and forensic differences between 72 individuals who committed murder and were found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) and 56 individuals who committed murder and were found responsible for their actions and fit to stand trial (guilty).
resultsThe findings show that NGRI participants were more likely to be from central areas, to be Jewish (rather than Arab), to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and have a background of hospitalizations before committing the murder, to have remained at the murder scene and/or called for help, and to be less likely to have committed the murder with a partner.
conclusionsThe study's findings are explained and the limitations discussed. The findings add to the existing knowledge base about murder by reason of insanity and the differences between NGRI and criminal murderers. The characteristics of the NGRI group found here can help to identify risk groups and to develop and implement prevention programs for people with mental disorders who are at risk of violent behavior.
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