Journal article
Violence, Gun Violence, and Mental Illness in a National Sample of Incarcerated Adults
Justice quarterly, Vol.43(4), pp.823-848
06/07/2026
DOI: 10.1080/07418825.2025.2572684
Abstract
The validity of a link between gun violence and mental illness has been the subject of ongoing research and policy debates. This study compares the burden of mental illness among adults incarcerated for violent versus property offenses as well as for firearm versus non-firearm violence, including lethal and non-lethal acts. The study utilizes the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI) data. Results show that respondents convicted of violent crimes are more likely to have been diagnosed with mental illnesses than those convicted of property crime. However, differences in mental illness burden among individuals convicted of firearm and non-firearm violence are not statistically significant. Also, mental illness burden did not distinguish victim counts in incidents of firearm shootings, providing no evidence of a relationship to mass shooting risk. Overall, mental illness has an unique association with engaging in violent crime but not committing gun violence nor multiple victim shootings.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Violence, Gun Violence, and Mental Illness in a National Sample of Incarcerated Adults
- Creators
- Mark T. Berg - University of IowaAndrew Krajewski - The University of Texas at DallasYi-Fang Lu - University of Iowa, Center for Social Science InnovationEthan M. Rogers - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Justice quarterly, Vol.43(4), pp.823-848
- DOI
- 10.1080/07418825.2025.2572684
- ISSN
- 0741-8825
- eISSN
- 1745-9109
- Publisher
- ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 10/13/2025
- Date published
- 06/07/2026
- Academic Unit
- Sociology and Criminology; Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9985014810702771
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