Some clinicalpsychopathological and psychosocial aspects of juvenile criminal aggression

Abstract

The present study looks at major psychosocial factors contributing to development of criminal aggression and specifics of delicts committed by juveniles. A total of 285 forensicpsychiatric expert testimonies on juvenile cases of criminal aggression acts were reviewed for the Zabaikalyу Territory over the period of 2009–2013 (V. Kh. Kandinsky mental hospital records). It was found that half of the subjects examined had a family history of alcoholism. In most cases, the youths came from low-income backgrounds and were uncared for and unprotected. Every third subject experienced behaviour disorders prior to committing a wrongdoing. The major crime incentives among them were personal enmity, pecuniary gain, and satisfaction of sexual needs. The majority of examined subjects were declared sane during the forensic psychiatric expert examination.