Media release from Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' New Zealand National Committee is concerned about media commentary regarding psychiatric patients in the community following the recent sad death of a man in Auckland.

"The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' New Zealand National Committee is saddened for the victim and his family and that an incident of this nature has occurred. The Committee understands that the community is interested in appropriate standards of care for people with mental illness. It is concerned that the resulting discussion in the media about people with mental health problems living in the community perpetuates misconceptions about mental illness," said Dr Rosie Edwards, Chair of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' New Zealand National Committee.

"Homicide perpetrated by someone with a serious mental illness is rare. Homicide associated with mental illness represents a small proportion of total homicides. In fact, a New Zealand study shows that less than 10% of all homicides are committed by people with serious mental illness," said Dr Edwards.

"There is no evidence that community based care has been associated with an increased risk of homicide by people who are mentally ill according to the study," said Dr Edwards.

"The percentage of all homicides committed by people with mental illness fell from 19.5% in 1970 to 5% in 2000. Therefore there has been a decrease in homicide levels which corresponds with deinstitutionalization of mental health patients into community care. There is a benefit to people with mental illness in being part of the community," said Dr Edwards.

"People with mental illness are of little harm to the general community and are generally not dangerous. Caution is needed that one event does not lead to the undoing of the benefits of many years of work to improve the services available to people within their communities, nor to the imposition of more restrictions upon the lives of people whose recovery from mental illness has been enhanced by the opportunities that greater independence has brought. Research shows that homicide victims of those with serious mental illness are much more commonly known to the perpetrator than those without mental illness," said Dr Edwards.
"The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' New Zealand National Committee supports full investigation into the incident by relevant authorities. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' New Zealand National Committee acknowledges that even with good treatment delivered by quality services incidents can occur. Psychiatrists are committed to providing the best available psychiatric care," said Dr Edwards.

Note: Statistics included in this media release are from the report 'Myth and Reality: The relationship between mental illness and homicide in New Zealand', Health Research Council of New Zealand, August 2003