One in three homicides fuelled by psychosis, as doctors fear growing crisis

New data suggests 43 out of an estimated 126 homicides in Victoria in 2024 and 2025 were committed by people with psychosis, sparking concerns about the adequacy of the state's mental health system.

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New data suggests 43 out of an estimated 126 homicides in Victoria in 2024 and 2025 were committed by people with psychosis, according to research by consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Rajan Darjee. This represents about one in three homicides in the state during this period. The data highlights a significant increase in the number of homicides committed by people with psychotic disorders in Victoria, with a fourfold increase from a decade ago. In 2024 and 2025, half of all stranger homicides in Victoria were committed by people with psychosis, as were two in three intimate partner and family homicides.

Experts have warned that these homicides are the result of serious failings in Victoria's mental health system, with some calling for a review of the royal commission's recommendations. Frustrated psychiatrists say the alarming uptick in killings by people with psychosis is a triple tragedy for perpetrators, victims and the wider public because many of the recent deaths could have been prevented had the offenders received proper treatment. Dr Darjee's research suggests that almost 84 per cent of homicide offenders in the sample had previously received treatment by mental health services, while half were connected with a service at the time of the incident.

The data compiled by Dr Darjee raises questions about the adequacy of domestic violence prevention policies, which emphasise addressing gender inequality and 'disrespectful' attitudes. Psychosis is a set of psychological symptoms that impair a person's sense of reality, and is a central feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Though most people with psychotic disorders are never violent, there is a clear association between psychosis and violence.

Australian and international studies also show people with psychotic illness are more likely to perpetrate homicide than people in the general population. Experts have long stressed the importance of effectively treating psychosis to reduce and prevent violence. Dr Darjee says that if people with psychosis receive early and effective treatment, they are less likely to commit violent acts in the future.