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Objective: The aim of this study was to review the history, legislation, and psychiatric perspective of filicide, to compare the characteristics of mothers who committed neonaticide versus infanticide, and to discuss the infanticide law in Hong Kong. Methods: Data of mothers remanded to the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre from 2008 to 2016 for filicide were reviewed, as were data of filicide from the Child Fatality Review Reports published by the Social Welfare Department. Results: From 2008 to 2016, eight mothers were remanded to Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre for filicide. Four were convicted of infanticide; the other four were convicted of manslaughter. Those convicted of infanticide were single and aged <18 years. They had concealed their pregnancies and received no antenatal care. They delivered at home and then either smothered or abandoned the newborn. They reported no suicidal attempts after the index offence and had no record of mental illness. They were given supervision orders instead of prison sentences. In contrast, those convicted of manslaughter were in their 30s and married. They were documented to have killed the victims by charcoal burning, strangulation, mutilation, or defenestration. They all attempted suicide immediately after the killing and had histories of mental illness: paranoid schizophrenia (n = 2), severe depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms (n = 1), and recurrent depressive disorder (n = 1). They were sentenced to Hospital Orders for unspecified periods. Conclusions: In Hong Kong, the incidence of maternal filicide is low. However, the infanticide provision grants leniency to mothers, including those who show no evidence of mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of mental illness in offenders referred to psychiatrists from January 2011 to March 2016 and any associations between crime and mental illness in these offenders. Methods: Case notes of offenders referred to psychiatrists at the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre from 1 January 2011 to 31 March 2016 were reviewed. Data on sex, age on admission, educational level, principal psychiatric diagnosis, index offence, source and reason of referral, and outcome were collected. Results: Case notes were reviewed for 4492 offenders (75% males) aged 14 to 93 (mean, 40.6) years. Of these, 68% were referred by the courts for psychiatric report and 32% were referred by correctional institutions for psychiatric assessment and treatment. Approximately 73% of them had a diagnosable mental disorder. The most common principal psychiatric diagnoses were schizophrenia and related disorders (25%), mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (20%), and mood disorders (9%). The most common index offences were theft and related offences (22%), acts intended to cause injury (20%), and illicit drug offences (11%). Offences involving violence were more prevalent in males than in females (p < 0.001). In terms of the three most common principal psychiatric diagnoses, 'acts intended to cause injury' was most prevalent in those with 'schizophrenia and other related disorders' than in those with the other two diagnoses (31% vs 19% vs 17%, p < 0.001). 'Theft and related offences' was most prevalent in those with mood disorders than in those with other two diagnoses (38% vs 20% vs 18%, p < 0.001). 'Illicit drug offences' was most prevalent in those with 'mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance' than those with other two diagnoses (22% vs 8% vs 6%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of mental disorders among offenders referred to psychiatrists is high. The pattern of associations between crime and mental disorders in these offenders is comparable with that reported in overseas studies. As Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre is the only facility in Hong Kong for mentally ill offenders, our sample is representative, and our results provide cross-sectional pattern of forensic psychiatric service utilisation in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to validate the Correctional Mental Health Screen (CMHS) in the Hong Kong prison population and determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among remand prisoners in Hong Kong and the associated factors of mental illness. Methods: This cohort study was conducted at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre and the Tai Lam Centre for Women in Hong Kong. Remand prisoners aged >21 years were recruited between May and August 2014. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Each remand prisoner was assessed using the appropriate CMHS for males or for females, then interviewed by a specialist psychiatrist using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV for current affective disorder and psychotic disorder for cross-validation. Results: A total of 245 remand prisoners were recruited (150 males and 95 females; mean age, 25.8 years). Of them, 51% (55% males and 44% females) had a lifetime history of psychiatric disorder, whereas 39.6% (46% males and 29.5% females) had a current psychiatric disorder. The most common psychiatric disorder was substance use disorder (>36%), followed by mood disorder (>20%), psychotic disorder (5.3%), and lifetime neurotic disorder (3.7%). Living in a public housing estate (odds ratio [OR] = 1.99), a history of childhood conduct problem (OR = 2.40), and a forensic history (Or = 1.97) were associated with an increased risk of having a psychiatric disorder. The CMHS had good diagnostic efficiency after cross-validation with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Conclusion: Psychiatric disorders are prevalent in remand prisoners in Hong Kong. The CMHS is an effective tool to screen remand prisoners for timely treatment of prisoners with mental health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]