The comparison of disposal attitudes towards forensic psychiatric patients among police officers, psychiatrists and community members in China.
OBJECTIVE
To understand disposal attitudes towards forensic psychiatric patients among police officers, psychiatrists and community members in China.


METHODS
118 community members, 121 psychiatrists and 105 police officers completed a questionnaire regarding disposal attitudes towards forensic psychiatric patients.


RESULTS
Surveyed respondents (87.4%) believed patients with mental disorders experienced discrimination, and 97.4% were in favor of providing livelihood security for them. Police officers (89.5%) agreed that patients with mental illness were more violent than the general population, which was significantly higher than 74.4% of psychiatrists (X(2) = 14.29, P = 0.000). Among three groups, the most preferred disposal option for those found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) was to treat them in the custody of a forensic psychiatric hospital, such as an Ankang Hospital (86.9%). The respondents agreed (96.8%) that an independent review board should be established for disposing decisions for forensic psychiatric patients. The percentage who agreed that police officers, prosecutors, and judges should be included in the review board was significantly higher among police officers than among community members (x(2) = 6.60, P = 0.01; x(2) = 9.74, P = 0.002; x(2) = 7.38, P = 0.007). When asked, "who has the legal right to determine whether offenders with mental disorders should bear criminal responsibility", forensic psychiatrists and judges were the top two responders (79.5% and 63.4%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggested that the majority of those surveyed, especially police officers, held that patients with mental illness were violent and should receive violence risk assessments. Although psychiatrists paid more attention to the rights of patients, they also lacked legal knowledge, similar to community members and police officers. Therefore, it is necessary to inform the public regarding mental health, and to provide legal knowledge.
Institute of Mental Health of The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139# Renmin Middle Road, Changsha 410011, Hunan, PR China.
Chen
C
Chen
Jian-Jun
JJ
Ou
Jian-Song
JS
Zhou
Ying-Dong
YD
Zhang
Wei-Xiong
WX
Cai
Xiao-Ping
XP
Wang
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002681:China; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D016495:Police; D011050:Policy Making; D011287:Prejudice; D011570:Psychiatry; D011639:Public Opinion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence
Attitude; Community members; Disposition; Forensic psychiatric patient; Police officers; Psychiatrists; Questionnaire