A follow up study of patients discharged from the Criminal Procedure Code

Eighty-six male psychiatric patients discharged from the Criminal Procedure Code over a 5-year period were studied to determine their social, occupational and clinical outcome. The majority were young, single Chinese who had received little education and had suffered from schizophrenia. More than half had been hospitalised for up to 5 years. On discharge many were living with their relatives, 83% were working, 60% were socially isolated and about half were asymptomatic. Factors associated with their outcome were examined.