Mentally Disordered Offenders Who Push or Attempt to Push Victims Onto Subway Tracks in New York City

Health and Safety Hazards Associated with Subways: A Review

“…A study by Martell and Dietz involving violent offenders who pushed or attempted to push people onto NYC subway lines found that between 1975 and 1991 there were 49 incidents involving 52 victims, all strangers to the perpetrators. 21 During that time, the annual average ridership was in excess of several million passengers each day. 6 Most of the perpetrators of this type of subway crime are mentally ill, homeless people, with long histories of psychiatric hospitalizations and prior arrests.…”

“…6 Most of the perpetrators of this type of subway crime are mentally ill, homeless people, with long histories of psychiatric hospitalizations and prior arrests. 21 Subway Suicides Another type of violent event that is also uniquely associated with subways, is attempted or completed suicide by throwing oneself onto the electrified track and/or into the path of oncoming trains. A review of Montreal coroner's office data from 1986 to 1996 noted 129 suicides in the Montreal Metro, with one out of every three suicide attempts resulting in fatalities.…”

Characteristics and circumstances of homicidal acts committed by offenders with schizophrenia

“…Planansky & Johnston, 1977;Tardiff, 1984 ;Martell & Dietz, 1992 ;Taylor et al 1998). Also in accordance with previous reports was the finding that homicidal behaviours judged to be influenced by psychotic symptoms were more commonly based on delusions than hallucinations (Taylor, 1985 ;Humphreys et al 1992 ;McNeil, 1994;Nestor et al 1995 ;Junginger et al 1998) and the most frequent delusional drives were those related to persecution (Humphreys et al 1992;Link et al 1992;Wessely et al 1993 ;Krakowski & Czobor, 1994 ;Swanson et al 1996;Taylor et al 1998).…”

“…Link & Stueve, 1998), as they are difficult to establish and may depend on specific subgroups (Hodgins, 2000). In approximately 45% of cases (Taylor, 1985 ;Humphreys et al 1992;Junginger et al 1998), the psychotic symptoms per se are judged to have directly elicited violent drives (Martell & Dietz, 1992 ;Junginger, 1996 ;Taylor et al 1998). Thus, some violent offenders with a major mental disorder (MMD) may not have been symptomatically driven (Swanson et al 1999), or even openly psychotic at the time of index crime.…”

Troubles mentaux et violence

“…Une autre approche est l'examen de l'état mental des sujets ayant commis des crimes particuliers, par exemple les études citées plus haut sur les homicides. Martell et Dietz (1992) ont par ailleurs étudié une série d'individus qui ont poussé ou tenté de pousser quelqu'un devant la rame de métro à New York. Les malades mentaux sont responsables de la majorité des gestes de ce type.…”