What Is Wrong with a Criminal Mind? Mental Health Disorders and Offending

Mental disorders are not generally considered a risk factor for (violent) offending by major theories about offending behaviour. Nevertheless, among forensic populations, specific diagnoses are overrepresented. This chapter discusses the most common of these diagnoses, namely substance use, psychosis, antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Particularly substance use is a significant predictor of violent behaviour across various contexts. Indeed, any other mental disorder presents a greater risk of violence if there is comorbid substance use. For each diagnosis, specific symptoms that have been linked with an increased risk of violence, as well as contextual factors such as the timing of violence or the nature of the traumatic event associated with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder are discussed.