Schizophrenics remanded to the Forensic Psychiatric Institute of British Columbia, 1975-1990

Clinical and legal data were collected on 1265 schizophrenic patients remanded to a maximum security hospital, for psychiatric evaluation of fitness to stand trial. Schizophrenics accounted for over half of the remand population. When compared to the nonschizophrenic group, they had more previous admissions to the Forensic Psychiatric Institute and the Provincial Mental Hospital. They were also more likely to be found unfit to stand trial or to have their charges stayed by the Crown. However, approximately half of the schizophrenics in this study returned to Court, fit to stand trial and with no further psychiatric treatment provided. This study raises major questions about the purpose and value of remanding schizophrenics to a maximum security hospital for in-patient fitness evaluations.