Mental health and violence in Oklahoma: The myths, the needs and recommended strategies

Oklahoma experienced several high-profile cases of domestic murder-suicides 2021, raising questions about the link between mental illness and violence.

Because disturbing examples like these receive extensive news coverage that also often includes references to mental illness, there is the danger that incorrect generalizations about the relationship between mental illness and the propensity for extreme violence may further stigmatize vulnerable people.

In this report, we summarize the complex and sometimes contradictory evidence about this relationship and provide often missing information on the scale or frequency of violence by people with mental illness. We also make recommendations for mental health programmatic and policy changes where research indicates they are warranted.