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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Rajesh Nadkarni, Professor Donald Grubin
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Background: Anti-stalking legislation was passed in England and Wales in 1997. Subsequently, the majority of stalkers received community sentences and were involved with the Probation Service. Aims: To study the psychiatric and forensic aspects of stalking offenders among a probation sample. Method: Subjects were approached within the Probation Service (Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, and Northumbria) who had been convicted under the Harassment Act over a period of six weeks prior to the interview. Information was obtained about their social demographic details, psychiatric history and criminal history. Psychiatric diagnosis was based on the ICD-10. The Psychopathy Screening Version was used to assess psychopathy. Results: The average age of the 18 participants was 35, majority being male. 83% of the participants had a history of previous offending with 45% having a history of violent offenses and 45% having stalked in the past. Eighty-eight percent of the stalkers had experienced a rejecting incident prior to stalking behavior. Sixty percent of the participants satisfied the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis according to the ICD-10. Fifty percent had been in past contact with psychiatric services. Conclusions: A significant number of stalkers within the probation sample suffered from a psychiatric morbidity. Also, a significant number had been in contact with mental health services prior to their offending. A large proportion of stalkers had history of previous offending with a significant proportion having indulged in violent and stalking related offenses. Rejecting experiences often preceded stalking behavior.
Author(s): Nadkarni R, Grubin D
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry
Year: 2003
Volume: 24
Issue: 2
Pages: 53-65
Print publication date: 01/01/2003
ISSN (print): 0163-1942
ISSN (electronic):
Publisher: American College of Forensic Psychiatry
