NCJ Number
20395
Journal
NEDERLANDS TIJDSCHRIFT VOOR CRIMINOLOGIE Dated: (DECEMBER 1974) Pages: 266-271
Date Published
1974
Length
6 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION OF THE VALIDITY OF PSYCHIATRIC PROGNOSIS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS IN THE NETHERLANDS.
Abstract
THE CRITERION FOR INVOLUNTARY TREATMENT OF THE ABNORMAL OFFENDER IS HIS FUTURE DANGEROUSNESS WITH RESPECT TO OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES AND PROPERTY, THE DECISION TO ENFORCE OR CONTINUE TREATMENT IS BASED ON EXPERT PSYCHIATRIC ADVICE. THE AUTHOR NOTES, HOWEVER THAT FUTURE CRIMINALITY IS SELDOM CLEARLY, IF AT ALL, DETERMINED IN PSYCHIATRIC REPORTS. THE PSYCHIATRIC PROGNOSIS APPEARS TO BE BASED ON THE CRIMINAL RECORD RATHER THAN ON A DIAGNOSIS OF THE PERSONALITY OF THE OFFENDER. ALTHOUGH, ACCORDING TO THE AUTHOR, PSYCHIATRISTS BASE THEIR ADVICE ON EXPERIENCE AND INTUTION, HE QUESTIONS THE CLAIM OF EXPERIENCE WITH RESPECT TO ALL THE ASPECTS OF IMPRISONMENT AND INVOLUNTARY TREATMENT, SINCE DIFFERENT PSYCHIATRISTS HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. FURTHERMORE, HE STATES THAT FUTURE BEHAVIOR IS NOT ONLY DETERMINED BY THE PERSONALITY STRUCTURE OF A PERSON BUT ALSO BY FUTURE PERSONAL AND SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND BY THE EFFECT OF IMPRISONMENT AND TREATMENT. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT PSYCHIATRIC ADVICE CONCERNING FUTURE CRIMINALITY IS, AT BEST, EXPERT GUESSWORK. --IN DUTCH