Forensic psychiatry in S ingapore

S ingapore is a geographically small nation‐state that has transformed itself from a third‐world country to a developed nation after attaining political independence 46 years ago. The pace of change has been tremendous and mental health care is no exception. This paper provides an overview of mental health care and a review of key mental health legislation, including a N ational M ental H ealth B lueprint that was rolled out in 2007. On this background, the paper focuses on a description of forensic psychiatric services in S ingapore. The role of the D epartment of F orensic P sychiatry at the I nstitute of M ental H ealth, which is the only forensic psychiatry department in the country, will be highlighted. C ivil commitment and the treatment of unfit accused persons and insanity acquittees is reviewed. The role of forensic psychiatric assessments in the S ingapore courts is examined. The application of the insanity and diminished responsibility defenses are reviewed. A trend is identified in the S ingapore courts towards a more rehabilitation‐focused sentencing approach and the role that forensic psychiatric assessments play in cases involving mentally disordered offenders is highlighted.