Persons with schizophrenia are believed to have a higher risk for criminal offending, especially for violent offences. Offending behaviour among schizophrenics is mediated by a variety of factors such as substance abuse and clinical symptoms. However, existing studies have failed to identify the association between those mediating factors and particular types of offence. This study examines the association between substance abuse, clinical symptoms and different types of offences among persons with schizophrenia. Three hundred and sixty eight case files of residents diagnosed with schizophrenia in four psychiatric halfway houses in Hong Kong were reviewed. Substance abuse, but not clinical symptoms, was associated with general conviction rate. Violent-related offences were found to be positively associated with paranoid delusion; persons with common thought disorders, negative symptoms and who abused substances were more likely to commit property crimes. The causes and mediating factors of various offences were different. It is concluded that attention should be given to the recent mental status, clinical symptoms and social condition in studying the offending behaviours of persons with schizophrenia.

患有精神分裂症的人被認為有較高風險從事刑事犯罪，尤其是暴力罪行。精神分裂症患者的犯罪行為受多種因素影響，例如藥物濫用和臨床症狀。然而，現有的研究未能確立影響因素和個別犯罪種類之間的關系。本文探討精神分裂症患者的各類犯罪跟藥物濫用和臨床症狀之間的關聯。研究檢視了三百六十八位居於香港四間精神病中途宿舍的精神分裂症患者的個案，並發現藥物濫用與一般定罪率有關，而臨床症狀則不然。研究亦發現暴力罪行與偏執妄想有正關聯；有思維障礙、負面症狀和濫用藥物的人則有較高可能進行財產犯罪。各種的犯罪原因和影響因素都不同。總而言之，在了解精神分裂症患者的犯罪行為時，應注意他們的近期精神狀況、臨床症狀和社會條件。

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