Trastornos mentales y responsabilidad criminal en incendiarios

Abstract

<b>Introducción</b>: Los objetivos del estudio son describir a acusados del delito de incendio en las dimensiones demográfica, psiquiátrica y criminológica y explorar factores asociados a la opinión pericial de inimputabilidad. <b>Material y métodos</b>: Se describe la serie de casos acusados de incendio y evaluados pericialmente (N = 197) en la Unidad de Psiquiatría Adultos del Servicio Médico Legal de Chile, durante el periodo 1999 – 2012 y con diseño de casos y controles se exploran factores asociados con la opinión de inimputabilidad. <b>Resultados</b>: La serie de casos tuvo alta prevalencia de problemas sociales, familiares y de trastornos mentales. En el 52,3% se alcanzó conclusión pericial compatible con la imputabilidad, en el 24,4% con la inimputabilidad y en el 23,3% con la imputabilidad disminuida. <b>Conclusiones</b>: Las condiciones de inimputabilidad e imputabilidad disminuidas, agrupadas como “opinión pericial de imputabilidad comprometida” se asociaron significativamente a la verificación de conducta bizarra, motivación patológica, motivación afectiva, autolesiones y actitud colaboradora del acusado.

<b>Introduction</b>: The purpose of the study is to describe arsonists in their demographic, psychiatric and criminological dimensions and to explore factors associated with the expert opinion of insanity. <b>Material and methods</b>: a series of cases accused of arson and assessed in the adult Psychiatric Unit of the Legal Medical Service of Chile, during the period 1999 – 2012 (N = 197) is described. With a cases and controls design, the factors associated with the opinion of insanity are explored. <b>Results</b>: The series of cases had a high prevalence of mental disorders, social and family problems. Expert opinion compatible with the condition of criminal responsibility was achieved in 52.3% of the cases; and in 24.4 % it was compatible with insanity and in 23.3% with diminished criminal responsibility. <b>Conclusions</b>: The conditions of insanity and diminished criminal responsibility, grouped together as "expert opinion of altered criminal responsibility" were significantly associated with bizarre behavior, pathological motivation, emotional motivation, self-harm and cooperative attitude of the accused.