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These Murders Could Have Been Prevented. Psychiatrist Reveals Problems in the Norwegian System
The problems are said to stem from systemic errors. Fot. Adobe Stock, licencja standardowa (zdjęcie poglądowe)
Norway's most renowned forensic psychiatrist warns of a systemic problem. In her opinion, many severely ill people receive help too late. The result is murders, some of which could have been prevented.
Randi Rosenqvist has worked in Norwegian psychiatry and the prison system for decades. She was involved, among others, in the observation of Anders Behring Breivik. In an interview with VG, she points out that the lack of early treatment and continuous care increases the risk of tragedy. Editorial data shows the scale of the problem since 2000.
Scale of Murders and Police Data
Since 2000, 127 people in Norway have been killed by perpetrators with severe mental disorders. These are individuals deemed insane at the time of the act. This accounts for about 15 percent of all murders during this period. According to Kripos, between 2014 and 2021, nearly every third murder or attempted murder was linked to the perpetrator's serious mental illness. From 2018 to 2021, the number of such perpetrators was more than twice as high as in 2014–2018.
Since 2015, the number of police interventions related to psychiatry has also been rising. This is connected to a change in the law that made involuntary treatment more difficult. Rosenqvist emphasizes that it is impossible to predict who will become a murderer. In her view, better care could, however, reduce the number of the most serious crimes. She indicates that perhaps half of the murders could have been prevented.
Since 2015, the number of police interventions related to psychiatry has also been rising. This is connected to a change in the law that made involuntary treatment more difficult. Rosenqvist emphasizes that it is impossible to predict who will become a murderer. In her view, better care could, however, reduce the number of the most serious crimes. She indicates that perhaps half of the murders could have been prevented.
Psychiatrists agree that help comes too late.Photo: stock.adobe.com/standardowa
Systemic Shortcomings and 'Revolving Door Patients'
Rosenqvist points to diagnoses being made too late. Often, a full diagnosis is only established after an act of violence. Many perpetrators had years-long psychoses and difficult living conditions. The psychiatrist describes them as so-called revolving door patients—admitted multiple times and quickly discharged.
The number of psychiatric beds in Norway dropped from 7,745 in 1990 to about 3,200 in 2022. This means a decrease from 2.5 to 0.75 beds per 1,000 inhabitants. Currently, there is one bed for about 1,300 people. According to Rosenqvist, about 50 percent of patients are discharged within a week, and most after two to three days. In her opinion, treating psychoses requires a plan for at least five years, which cannot be achieved in such a short time.
The number of psychiatric beds in Norway dropped from 7,745 in 1990 to about 3,200 in 2022. This means a decrease from 2.5 to 0.75 beds per 1,000 inhabitants. Currently, there is one bed for about 1,300 people. According to Rosenqvist, about 50 percent of patients are discharged within a week, and most after two to three days. In her opinion, treating psychoses requires a plan for at least five years, which cannot be achieved in such a short time.
Similar conclusions are presented by Sigrid Medhus from the psychiatry department in Ahus. She points to overcrowded wards and the pressure for quick discharges. She notes that some beds are occupied by patients already sentenced to treatment after serious crimes. Those without such a verdict fall out of the system.
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