Criminal behavior in males with affective disorders.

Prevalence of criminal behavior in a population of 261 male inpatients with affective disorders was studied. The patients were divided into 3 RDC subgroups and compared with the same number of matched subjects drawn from the general population. The full account of conviction records in the criminal register was used as a measure of criminal behavior. Altogether, 42% of patients and 31% of non-patients had a criminal record. A higher criminality rate was found in bipolar patients and in patients suffering from unipolar minor or intermittent depression, whereas no increased criminality rate was found in patients with unipolar major depression.