[Homicides by adolescents and young adults from the viewpoint of the adolescent psychiatry expert].

From 1966 to 1986, the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Heidelberg gave expert opinions at the request of criminal courts in 37 cases involving homicide and 8 attempted homicide. Eighteen of the offenders were between 14 and 17 years old ("Jugendliche" under German law), 17 between 18 and 20 ("Heranwachsende") and 2 over 20. The largest group (N = 18) consisted of maladjusted male adolescents who had grown up in disadvantageous surroundings, had limited education and, not infrequently following the example of other members of their families, tended to show aggressive behaviour, intolerance to frustration, emotional instability and uncontrolled drinking. The questions the expert was asked by the court were mainly concerned with: liability for crime (section 3 JGG), applicability of juvenile law to offenders aged 18 to 20 years (section 105 JGG) penal responsibility (section 20 and 21 StBG or section 51, Section 1 and 2 StGB a.F.), and measures under section 63 StGB. The court took the expert's position in 28 of the 33 decisions which we were able to obtain for examination; 2 other proceedings were quashed. The juridical classification of the homicides was attempted or completed first-degree murder in 17 and attempted or completed second-degree murder in 6 cases.