Clinical and Electro-Encephalographic Studies of Prisoners Charged With Murder

Brain damage, diagnosis, and substance abuse among violent offenders

“…The studies suggested that 6 and 14 HZ abnormalities were common in a criminal population, in "psychopaths", and even more pronounced in violent criminals, including murderers (Arthurs & Cahoon, 1964;Avery, 1968;Diethelm & Simons, 1946;Ellingson, 1954;Gibbs, Bagchi, & Bloomberg, 1945;Green, 1961;Hill, 1944Hill, & 1952Hughes, Means, & Stell, 1965;Knott, Platt, Coulson, Ashby, & Gottlieb, 1953;Levy & Kennard, 1953;Loomis, 1965;Marten, 1965;Matthew & Constan, 1963;Schwade & Geiger, 1956, 1960Silverman, 1944;StaffordClark & Taylor, 1949;Stehle, 1969;Turner & Merlis, 1962 for a review).…”

EEG and Evoked Potentials in Episodic-Dyscontrol Syndrome

“…Silverman [9] found a 53% incidence of EEG abnormality among prisoners, while Gibbs et al [10] found no differences from normal in a larger group of inmates. Stafford-Clark and Taylor [11] found EEG ab normality in 73% of murderers, especially with motive less slayings, but only 25% abnormality among criminals generally, while the abnormalities found by Hill [12] involved slowing but no epileptiform potentials. Levy [ 13] found a two-fold increase in nonspecific EEG abnor mality among recidivists, while Kennard et al [ 14] found EEG abnormality, mostly slowing, increased among 'psy chopathic' criminals but with no relationship to violence.…”

Standard EEG in Personality and Anxiety Disorders

“…It has also been shown that amongst groups of prisoners convicted of murder, the highest incidence of EEG abnormalities (74%) occurred in individuals whose crimes were apparently motiveless or had minimal motives [9,10]. EEGs, medication status, nature of the offence as well as personality characterisation were examined in 265 consecutive admissions to a special hospital for offenders [11].…”