U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Obsessional Harassment and Erotomania in a Criminal Court Population

NCJ Number
154094
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Dated: (March 1995) Pages: 188-196
Author(s)
R B Harmon; R Rosner; H Owens
Date Published
1995
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Forty-eight cases of persons charged with harassment and menacing in New York County Criminal and Supreme Court and referred for evaluation to the Forensic Psychiatry Clinic between January 1987 and January 1994 were reviewed to determine the incidence of erotomania in this population.
Abstract
Results revealed similarities between cases of erotomania and other affectionate/amorous complaints and cases involving persecutory/angry forms of harassing behavior. When major differences were noted between all harassers and the clinic population as a whole in terms of ethnicity, age, educational level, and sex. The analysis concluded that although erotomania exists; other psychiatric disorders can also be diagnosed in individuals accused or harassing and menacing behavior. From the perspectives of the victim and the criminal justice system, the similarities in behavior patterns are more important than the different diagnoses. Tables and 22 references (Author abstract modified)