Mental health homicides are higher than authorities admit
A programme aired on BBC2 yesterday evening aimed to highlight how the authorities are playing down the number of murders committed by the mentally ill, reports The Independent.
The head of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Health Problems (NCISH) has said that approximately 50 people a year who had been in contact with specialist mental health care in the 12 months before the incident were convicted of homicide.
The statistics are not accurate. If one person was responsible for a homicide where there was more than one victim then it would still only count as one incident and then you have to take into account that sometimes the person who committed the homicide then commits suicide, resulting in no conviction so no statistic.
After investigating the figures it was found that since 1993 there has been more than 100 incidents per year, compared with the 50 stated officially.
The statistics have caused many people to call for prompt and effective treatment for the small minority of mentally ill people who are violent and for all figures to be included in the statistics which will allow a more in depth understanding of the situation.
If you believe that you or anyone you know are suffering from a Mental Illness then the first step is to contact your GP so they can diagnose the issue. Talk therapies are known to have a positive effect on many mental health issues and should you wish to contact a counsellor regarding this matter or any other then you can find one in your local area using the homepage of this site.