Pattern of psychiatric morbidity among theft offenders remanded or referred for psychiatric evaluation and factors associated with reoffence

Abstract

RESULTSOverall, 10% of offenders had no mental illness. Substance use disorders, mood disorders and psychotic disorders were the most common diagnoses. Psychotic disorders were significantly less common in repeat offenders. Repeat offenders also tended to have a history of conduct problems in childhood. Noncompliance with psychiatric treatment was positively associated with repeat offence, while psychotic disorders were negatively associated. CONCLUSIONThe pattern of psychiatric morbidity among theft offenders in Singapore has changed over the last ten years. Kleptomania remains rare. Significant differences between first-time and repeat offenders have implications on the treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation of theft offenders in Singapore.

Remand Prisoners’ Specific Needs: A Systematic Review

“…Moreover, it should be noticed that given the small number of female participants, in two studies targeting both men and women, the female group was described without differentiating those who were on remand and those who were sentenced (Brinded et al 1996(Brinded et al , 1999. Except for one study that examined the particular case of theft offenders (Chan et al 2013), all studies described the diagnostics of RP without considering the type of offense committed.…”