Koh Kenneth G W W, Peng Gwee Kok, Huak Chan Yiong, Koh Benjamin K W
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health/Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore.
Med Sci Law. 2006 Jul;46(3):248-54. doi: 10.1258/rsmmsl.46.3.248.
Psychiatric research into violent offences, particularly murder, have been scant in the South East Asian region, with the last major review of homicides in Singapore and their association with psychiatric disorders being as far back as 1985. This study seeks to update the psychiatric community on individuals charged with murder in Singapore from 1997 to 2001 and particularly to further investigate the phenomenon of 'migration psychosis' in relation to foreigners in this sample who have committed homicide. One hundred and ten individuals in Singapore were charged with murder between 1997 and 2001. Socio-demographic data, psychiatric diagnoses, offence and victim profiles and court outcomes were obtained. The group consisting of offenders who were Singapore citizens or permanent residents was compared with those offenders who were foreigners. Analysis was done using the statistical package, SPSS. The proportion of foreigners in this study who committed homicide is significantly higher than the proportion of citizens/permanent residents in the general population. Foreigners who commit homicide also appear to (i) suffer from the more serious psychiatric illnesses of mood and psychotic disorders compared with locals, (ii) be less likely to have a known history of violence or a past forensic history and (iii) be more likely to be new to psychiatric services compared with the local homicide offenders. Compared with locals, foreigners appear to have a higher risk for committing homicide. Yet, they are less likely to appear early enough before mental health services. Some form of basic education to employers of foreigners as well as to the foreigners themselves on the early signs of mental illness is recommended.
在东南亚地区，针对暴力犯罪，尤其是谋杀罪的精神病学研究一直很少。上一次对新加坡凶杀案及其与精神疾病关联的重大综述可追溯到1985年。本研究旨在向精神病学界更新1997年至2001年期间在新加坡被控谋杀的人员情况，特别是进一步调查该样本中与犯有杀人罪的外国人相关的“移民性精神病”现象。1997年至2001年期间，新加坡有110人被控谋杀。获取了社会人口统计学数据、精神病学诊断、犯罪和受害者概况以及法庭判决结果。将新加坡公民或永久居民组成的犯罪者群体与外国犯罪者群体进行了比较。使用统计软件SPSS进行分析。本研究中犯有杀人罪的外国人比例明显高于普通人群中公民/永久居民的比例。与当地人相比，犯有杀人罪的外国人似乎（i）患有更严重的情绪和精神障碍类精神疾病，（ii）有暴力史或既往法医史的可能性较小，（iii）与当地杀人罪犯罪者相比，更有可能是新接受精神科治疗的患者。与当地人相比，外国人似乎有更高的杀人风险。然而当他们出现心理健康问题时，却不太可能尽早寻求精神健康服务。建议对外国人的雇主以及外国人自身进行某种形式的关于精神疾病早期症状的基础教育。
