A Forensic Psychiatric Study for Stalking Offenders.

Lee, Gyung Sook; Choi, Sang Sub

Original article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 2000;24(1):13-19.
Published online May 31, 2000.

A Forensic Psychiatric Study for Stalking Offenders.

Gyung Sook Lee, Sang Sub Choi

Department of Psychiatry, the National Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, Ministry of Justice, Korea.

Abstract

OBJECT: This study was devised to examine the demographic characteristics, behaviors, psychopathology and associated crimes of stalking offenders. METHODS: It concerned 50 stalking offenders referred to the National Forensic Psychiatric Hospital for the forensic evaluation. RESULTS: Most of the stalking offenders were men(78.0%, N=39), and many were unemployed(74.0%, N=37),;70.0%(N=35) had lived alone and they committed the serious crime. Victims included the colleagues or acquaintances(48.0%, N=24), past intimate persons(22.0%, N=11), stars or celebrities(16.0%, N=8), and strangers(14.0%, N=7). The duration of stalking was from 2 month to 20 years (mean= 37.7 month). Three types of stalking offenders were: love obsessional type, delusional type and revenge type. Delusional disorder(40.0%, N=20) was the most frequent, and the next frequent was schizophrenia(22.0%, N=11). CONCLUSION: Most stalking offenders found single and socially isolated male, and tend to attack the victim directly or indirectly. Appropriate legal and therapeutic interventions are necessary in order to prevent such serious crime as stalking.

Key Words: Stalking, Mentally disordered offender, Crime