For Além do Estigma do “Louco Perigoso”: A Convergência de Clinical, Social and Neurocognitive Factors in Violence Associated with Schizophrenia.

Abstract

This article sought to analyze the complex relationship between schizophrenia and violent criminality, aiming to deconstruct social stigmas and identify risk factors that precipitate delinquent acts. The methodology employed was a systematic bibliographic review and documentary analysis, using a qualitative and exploratory approach, consulting databases such as SciELO, PePSIC, BVS, Google Scholar, and PubMed. The main findings demonstrate that violence is not an inherent trait of the disorder but rather the outcome of an interaction of vulnerabilities. Notably, comorbidity with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is the most impactful factor, affecting up to 50% of cases and doubling the criminal risk, followed by untreated active psychosis and systemic neglect. The conclusions indicate that the dangerousness associated with individuals with schizophrenia is a stereotype that ignores clinical and social failures. The study reinforces that violence stems from an accumulation of neglect — neurocognitive, social, and institutional — and points to the urgency of integrated public policies. Such policies must focus on the joint treatment of SUD and the guarantee of continuous access to mental health care as fundamental strategies to reduce the marginalization and criminalization of mental illness within the Brazilian context.