Criminal Psychiatry – Theoretical Background and Practical Applications
Abstract
The police have long relied on psychiatric knowledge, but criminal psychiatry, as a new discipline, has only recently emerged. In this study, we argue that police officers need to have knowledge in this area – not to become a psychiatrist, but to do a better job. This is justified by the fact that mental disorders are very common among offenders, as evidenced by our own research findings included in this study. After clarifying the basic concepts, we review (due to space constraints, only very superficially) the areas of law enforcement in which psychiatric knowledge could help the police officer, emphasising that our educational experience to date has shown that law enforcement students are receptive to such knowledge. Psychiatric knowledge of police officers cannot, of course, replace the work of psychiatrists – which would not be possible –, but it can make police work more professional.