Are people who have serious mental illness prone to violence?

This is a harmful myth that contributes to stigma around SMI. It leads to a false public perception that equates criminality with SMI and other mental health conditions. However, data do not support this perception. Overall, people who have SMI are much more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators. There is some risk for violence linked with schizophrenia, yet most of the excess risk for violence is linked to:

  • co-occurring substance use disorders
  • violence that occurs before the start of treatment
  • treatment non-adherence

2% — Annual rate of violent behavior for the general population

2% — Annual rate of violent behavior for individuals who have SMI and no history of violent victimization, exposure to violence, or co-occurring disorders

25% — Annual rate that people who have SMI are victims of violent crime each year

11.8x higher — Likelihood for someone who has SMI to be the victim of a violent crime, compared to the general public

Learn more about common myths around SMI and character. See our infographic on this topic.

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REFERENCES

  • Ghiasi N, Azhar Y, Singh J. Psychiatric Illness And Criminality. [Updated 2021 Apr 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537064/
  • Fazel S, Gulati G, Linsell L, Geddes JR, Grann M. Schizophrenia and violence: systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2009 Aug;6(8):e1000120. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000120. Epub 2009 Aug 11. PMID: 19668362; PMCID: PMC2718581.
  • Elbogen EB, Johnson SC. The intricate link between violence and mental disorder: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009 Feb;66(2):152-61. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2008.537. PMID: 19188537.
  • Witt K, van Dorn R, Fazel S. Risk factors for violence in psychosis: systematic review and meta-regression analysis of 110 studies. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e55942. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055942. Epub 2013 Feb 13. Erratum in: PLoS One. 2013;8(9).
  • doi:10.1371/annotation/f4abfc20-5a38-4dec-aa46-7d28018bbe38. PMID: 23418482; PMCID: PMC3572179.
  • Large MM, Nielssen O. Violence in rst-episode psychosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Res. 2011 Feb;125(2-3):209-20. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2010.11.026. Epub 2011 Jan 5. PMID: 21208783.
  • Swanson JW, McGinty EE, Fazel S, Mays VM. Mental illness and reduction of gun violence and suicide: bringing epidemiologic research to policy. Ann Epidemiol. 2015 May;25(5):366-76. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.03.004. Epub 2014 Apr 29. PMID: 24861430; PMCID: PMC4211925.
  • Teplin LA, McClelland GM, Abram KM, Weiner DA. Crime victimization in adults with severe mental illness: comparison with the National Crime Victimization Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005 Aug;62(8):911-21. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.62.8.911. PMID: 16061769; PMCID: PMC1389236.
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