The Role of Mental Disorders in Drug Abuse among Violent Prisoners (Case Study: Mashhad Central Prison)

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental disorders and drug abuse in prisoners who commit violent crimes. In the present study, two groups of violent crime prisoners without drug abuse (58 people) or with drug abuse (137 people) were studied as a sample. The statistical population of the present study consisted of prisoners in Mashhad Central Prison.

Data analysis was performed using discriminant analysis and binomial test. The research tool was Millon questionnaire and data analysis was performed with SPSS.25 software.

Based on the findings, it was found that the difference between the ratio of violent crime prisoners with drug abuse and without drug abuse is statistically significant (P<0.01). Also, the present study showed that there is a significant difference in prisoners of violent crimes without drug abuse and with drug abuse in all mental disorders (P<0.01). In schizoid, antisocial, paranoid, anxiety, and depressive disorders, violent inmates with drug abuse have a higher average than inmates without drug abuse. Ethical considerations: In all stages of writing the present study, while respecting the originality of the texts, honesty and trustworthiness have also been observed.

The results showed that mental disorders, especially antisocial and paranoid disorders, had the power to predict drug abuse. Thus, there is a significant relationship between mental disorders, drug abuse and committing violent crimes. According to this fact that this relationship is criminalized, it should be considered by the criminal justice system.