[Forensic psychiatric patients--diagnosis, criminality and sanctions].

During the last few years the number of persons who in connection with a breach of the penal code have been sentenced to psychiatric treatment has increased considerably. The case records of 38 such psychiatric patients have been reviewed with focus on diagnostic dispersion, patterns of abuse of alcohol and/or drugs and of crime. A majority of the patients (87%) had formerly been in contact with the psychiatric treatment system. At their latest psychiatric contact many (68%) were diagnosed as schizophrenic and were found to be involved in serious abuse of alcohol and drugs. The crimes committed consisted to a large extent of either real or potential injury to other persons. An unexpectedly large number of the patients had for a shorter or longer time been detained in custody. The examined criminal psychiatric clientele constitutes a strained group with a serious psycho-pathology and with a high frequency of alcohol or drug abuse. More extensive investigations of these patients and possibly also of the effects of their pre-trial detention would be desirable.