[Heterogeneity of expert psychiatric conclusions. Study of 101 authors of voluntary homicides]. / Hétérogénéité des conclusions des expertises psychiatriques. Etude chez 101 auteurs d'homicides volontaires.

OBJECTIVES: Specify the prevalence of various mental pathologies observed in authors of voluntary homicides and assess the interest of the psychiatric expertise of these persons. METHODS: The conclusions of the psychiatric expertises of 101 authors of voluntary homicide; condemned (94.20%) or declared irresponsible because of mental or personality disorders (5.80%), in the Court of Appeal of Bordeaux, over a period of 10 years (1989-1999) were analyzed. RESULTS: Several elements were underlined, among which the multiplicity of the diagnoses made by the expert psychiatrists and the large proportion of these criminals suffering from mental pathologies (81.60%), which contrasted with the low percentage of such criminals declared irresponsible (5.80%) or suggesting they might be dangerous (7.80%). DISCUSSION: The use of a standardized classification of mental diseases would provide the members of the jury and the magistrates with a clearer picture of the mental status of criminals. This is essential to avoid that more than 80% of the latter are quoted as exhibiting a mental pathology when the experts present their conclusions.

[Classification of voluntary homicides and psychiatry]. / Classification des homicides volontaires et psychiatrie.

The author first reviews the various psychiatric and criminologic classifications of homicides. Then, he examines the FBI classification and points to the fact that the existence or absence of mental disturbances is only rarely mentioned in the description of each category of homicide. Finally, he proposes his own classification of pathologic homicides comprising eight categories: impulsive, crime of passion, sexual, depressive, non delusional psychotic, delusional psychotic, of organic cause, otherwise non-classifiable.

[The uneven history of clinical examination]. / Les aléas de l'examen clinique.

Clinical examination was developed by Hippocrates to understand diseases and patients. This approach was later almost abandoned in the Middle Age before a revival and a period of flowering at the beginning of the XIXth century. The multiplication of other new means of examination again provoked its decline, which has presently stopped, allowing a better balance of clinical practice.

[Some medico-psychological perspectives on sexual homicides. Three cases]. / De quelques perspectives médico-psychologiques sur les homicides sexuels. Présentation de trois observations.

While sexual murders are widely reported in the media, there are almost no reports on these major crimes in the French medico-psychological literature. After a brief historical and legal overview, the author discusses the forensic definition of sexual homicides, parent-to-child transmission of sexual violence, the distinction between paraphilic and non-paraphilic sexual offenders, criminal affects, and the classification of aggressors in violent homicides. He confirms that particularly violent murderers may be divided into two psychiatric and behavioral categories. Next, the six main causes of sexual homicide are presented together with three clinical observations of such cases: 1) one with homosexual connotations; 2) another through hate for women; 3) and a third where rage was not specifically directed. Finally, the author concludes that there should be systematic criminologic research in France into sexual murders.

[The Kreutzer Sonata or homicidal jealousy according to Tolstoy]. / La Sonate à Kreutzer ou la jalousie homicide selon Tolstoï.

In the first movement (the presto) of Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata there are two strongly opposing themes (positive masculine and negative feminine). Inspired by this confrontation, in his novel "The Kreutzer Sonata", Tolstoï describes the marital conflict that drives the jealous husband, Pozdnychev, to kill his wife whom he believes to be unfaithful. The murderer thinks that his wife, a pianist, is betraying him with a violinist when he discovers them in his home at night. The present paper is a criminological study of this murder brought about by passion. In this novel Tolstoï paints a very realistic picture of the criminal workings of Pozdnychev's mind, the tragic tale of this jealousy is perfectly consistent with the judicial understanding of crimes of passion.

[Difficult mentally ill patients: length of hospitalization in english and french maximum security services]. / Les malades mentaux difficiles: les durées d'hospitalisation dans les services de sûreté maximale anglais et français.

The average length of stay of a difficult and dangerous mentally disordered patient and offender in conditions of maximum security is much longer in England and Wales than it is in France. This difference can be attributed to reasons of history, to national procedures relating to admission, transfer and discharge, to the differing importance attached to the gravity of the admission offence and to the time-lags involved in carrying out the transfer and discharge decisions.

[Homicide is strongly correlated to depression and not to mania]. / L'homicide est fortement corrélé à la dépression et pas à la manie.

Typical manic episodes could be the cause of penal infractions, usually benign. In contrast, forensic studies show a close relationship between depression, suicide and homicide. Killers (16-28%) are often depressed when they commit a crime. In the UK and USA, 4-35% of killers commit suicide immediately after their crime. Assessment of a depressed patient must include an evaluation of the risk of homicide as well as the risk of suicide. The past history of depression and suicidal attempts, the presence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideas, are good predictors of impending danger of aggression and sometimes of homicide.

[Depression and crime. Review of the literature and original cases]. / Dépression et crime. Revue de la littérature et observations originales.

After mentioning the classical studies of Freud, Fenichel, De Greeff and Lagache, the author reviews contemporary works on the following relationships: depression-homicide; murder-suicide. Two cases of familial murder committed during a state of depression are then studied in depth. Two remarks from previous analyses are then made: the underestimation of the factor of depression in the homicidal act; and the need for reforming the practice of penal psychiatric survey. The author concludes that depressive and suicidal tendencies should be included among the best predictors of psychiatric dangerousness.