Objective T o explore the crim inal characteristics of forensic psychiatry expertise in depression patients and schizophrenics w ith hom icide behavior. Methods A total of 40 depression (depressive episode) patients and 50 schizophrenics w ith hom icide behavior w ere random ly assigned into the study group and control group, respectively. D ata of dem ographic and crim inal characteristic of the tw o groups w ere collected by a self-designed questionnaire, and then w ere com pared. Results T here w ere no statis-tical differences in age, education level and career betw een study and control groups (P>0.05). C om pared w ith the control group, the victim s in the study group w ere m ainly the patient's children and parents, and m ost offenders had suicidal behavior after hom icide (70% ). In study group, the m otives of crim e w ere m ainly extended suicide and indirect suicide, and m ost offenders had attem pted suicide (85% ) and dim inished capacity of crim inal responsibility (70% ), w hich in control group had no capacity of crim inal responsibility (56% ). E xcept for crim inal site, there w ere statistical differences in other crim inal charac-teristics betw een tw o groups (P<0.05). Conclusion T here are different crim inal characteristics betw een de-pression patients and schizophrenics w ith hom icide behavior in forensic psychiatry, and these characteris-tics should be considered w hen these tw o diagnoses are distinguished in forensic psychiatry expertise.