How is PTSD related to criminal behavior?

National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet


Background

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is described in the DSM IV as "the
development of characteristic symptoms following exposure to an extreme
traumatic
stressor." In recent studies among incarcerated populations, PTSD has been
found in approximately 48% of female inmates and 30% of male inmates. The
following is an overview of PTSD, a discussion about how to arrive at a
diagnosis, an
explanation of how PTSD can play a role in criminal offenses, and a review of
how PTSD may be acknowledged in sentencing procedures.

PTSD can be linked to criminal behavior in two primary ways. First, symptoms
of PTSD can incidentally lead to criminal behavior. Second, offenses can be
directly connected to the specific trauma that an individual experienced.

Many symptoms of PTSD can lead to a lifestyle that is likely to result in
criminal behavior and/or sudden outbursts of violence. Individuals with PTSD are
often plagued by memories of the trauma and are chronically anxious. Often,
attempts are made to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. The emotional
numbness many trauma survivors experience can lead the survivor to engage in
sensation-seeking behavior in an attempt to experience some type of emotion.
Some
combat veterans also may seek to recreate the adrenaline rush experienced during
combat. Feeling the need to be always "on guard" can cause some to misinterpret
benign situations as threatening and cause them to respond with
self-protective behavior. Increased baseline physiological arousal results in
violent
behavior that is out of proportion to the perceived threat. It is common for
trauma
survivors to feel guilt, which can sometimes lead them to commit crimes that
will likely result in their apprehension, punishment, serious injury, or
death.

Crimes that are directly linked to traumatic stressors usually have certain
characteristics. Often, the defendant has no criminal history and cannot offer
a coherent explanation for the behavior. Others may also find it difficult to
discern any current motivation for the crime. The choice of a victim may seem
accidental, and an apparently benign situation may result in violence. There
may be amnesia surrounding all or part of the crime, and the individual may
report that there were numerous stressors prior to the crime that related
literally or psychologically to the original trauma. The act itself may also be
linked symbolically or realistically to the original trauma. However, the
individual is usually unaware of this connection.


Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting
different results.

~ Albert Einstein


Fallen Officer: Kenneth L. Collings
http://hometown.aol.com/azterri/kenny.html


AZTerri
http://profiles.yahoo.com/arizona_terri


End Verbal Abuse Group Leader
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/End_Verbal_Abuse


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]