Exploring starter typologies in a Turkish homicide offender sample with psychotic illness

ABSTRACT

In this cross-sectional retrospective study comprising 124 Turkish homicide offenders with psychotic illness, we aimed to identify subgroups utilizing an age-at-onset framework and comparing these subgroups based on offender and offending characteristics. The sample was categorized into early starters (ES) and late starters (LS), and various variables were examined. Nearly one-third of the sample consisted of ES. According to univariate and multivariate analyses, ES exhibited a higher likelihood of prior offending and a shorter duration of illness until the index homicide compared to LS. Univariate analyses also indicated associations between being in the ES subgroup and lower education, presence of a personality disorder, a younger age at the first offense, and involving co-offenders during the index homicide. Moreover, late first offenders (LFO), constituting 13% of the entire sample, were identified within the LS subgroup and were associated with lower rates of personality disorders. Our results align with existing research, confirming conventional criminogenic needs specific to ES. Novel findings, along with some study results that did not reach statistical significance, may be unique to homicide offenders with psychosis. Further exploration of the applicability of age-at-onset typology in this specific group is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• Forensic psychiatry
• criminality
• homicide
• psychosis
• schizophrenia
• violence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical statement

The study was approved by the Scientific Research Ethics Committee of the University of Health Sciences Hamidiye [IRB: 13 January 2023–23/1], and was conducted according to the principles stated in the Helsinki Declaration. Since the individuals’ data was obtained anonymously without any readily available personal identifying information, and the authors conducted a retrospective file review, the requirement for informed consent was not applicable.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.