Violence and Mental Disorders in Jails

Psychiatric illnesses are highly represented in prison context. Personality disorders, especially borderline, antisocial, and narcissistic, show criminogenic aspects. Psychopathy, better detailed in the DSM 5, is a clinical entity associated with evil crimes and cruelty. Drug and alcohol abuse, alone or as a dual diagnosis, contributes to crime perpetration as well as to violence among incarcerated subjects. Inmates who have a psychiatric issues are more prone to being victimized as well as to acting aggressive behaviors, especially in case of acute psychosis or under drug/alcohol effects.