TITLE:
No change of attitude toward forensic psychiatry: 5 years after the Medical Treatment and Supervision Act in Japan
AUTHORS:
Akihiro Shiina, Kyoji Okita, Mihisa Fujisaki, Yoshito Igarashi, Masaomi Iyo
KEYWORDS:
Psychiatry; Law and Ethics; History of Psychiatry; Forensic Psychiatry; Education in Psychiatry; Epidemiology & Public Health
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.3 No.2,
April
10,
2013
ABSTRACT:
Objective: The forensic
mental health system in Japan changed dramatically with the enforcement of
the “Act on Medical Care and Treatment for the Persons Who Had Caused Serious
Cases under the Condition of Insanity” or MTS Act, in 2005. The aim of this
study is to evaluate the changes in attitude and behavior of general
psychiatrists, towards forensic psychiatry. Methods: We conducted a
questionnaire survey in 2010 on forensic psychiatry for Japanese psychiatrists,
mirroring a previous study from 2007. Results: Comparing the results from both
questionnaires, it is not evident that awareness of forensic mental health
has improved among psychiatrists in the intervening three years. Conclusion:
Further education about forensic mental health needs to be considered inJapan.