Patients with mental illness as victims of homicide: a national consecutive case series

Background The media attention received by homicides committed by patients with mental illness is thought to increase stigma. However, people with mental illness can also be victims of violence. We aimed to assess how often victims of homicide are current mental health patients and their relationship to the perpetrators. Methods In a national consecutive case-series study, we obtained data for victims and perpetrators of all confirmed homicides between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2005, in England and Wales. We requested information about contact with mental health services in the 12 months before the homicide for all victims and perpetrators. For victims and perpetrators who had contact with mental health services in the 12 months before homicide, we sent questionnaires to the clinician responsible for the patient's care. Findings 1496 victims of confirmed homicide died between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2005, in England and Wales. Patients with mental illness were more likely to die by homicide than were people in the general population (incidence rate ratio 2.6, 95% CI 1.9-3.4). 90 homicide victims (6%) had contact with mental health services in the 12 months before their death. 213 patients with mental illness were convicted of homicide in the same 3 year period. 29 of 90 patient victims were killed by another patient with mental illness. In 23 of these 29 cases, the victim and perpetrator were known to each other, and in 21 of these cases, the victims and perpetrators were undergoing treatment at the same National Health Service Trust. In these 29 cases in which patient victims were killed by another patient with mental illness, alcohol and drug misuse (19 victims [66%], 27 perpetrators [93%]) and previous violence (7 victims [24%], 7 perpetrators [24%]) were common in both victims and, particularly, perpetrators. In seven of the 29 cases in which the victim was killed by another patient with mental illness, both victim and perpetrator were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Interpretation The high risk of patients with mental illness being victims of homicide is an important antistigma message, although this risk partly comes from other patients with mental illness; overall, the risk of patients committing homicide is greater than the risk of being a victim of homicide. Identification and safeguarding of patients at risk of violence should be prominent in clinical risk assessment.