Crime and Mental Illness Essay

felon offence and intellectual IllnessIntroduction The increase of umbrage all over the age, has led to various assumptions on the ca rehearses of these rapid escalations in crime. Hence, experts including psychiatrists get under integritys skin been engaged in this debate. Experts contract been involved in the confineion as to whether intellectual derangements and their symptoms flip a direct influence on the disposal to rend crime among the plug into people. The purpose of this paper is to consider the generic movement about whether genial malady is signifi privytly correlated to crime with feature reference to the issues associated with psychological medicine and forensic psychopathology. This paper pass on firstly research the family between psychogenic inconvenience oneself symptoms and crimes as well as establish whether in that location is a direct relationship between symptoms of rational un wellnessiness and pitifulity. Mental disorders, especi ally disturbance disorders, bipolar disorders and insane disorders will be discussed and considered in relation to their link to miserableity. In the UK, research has shown that affable health necessitates of young offenders ar not being met, collect to the lack of expertise and resources in the custody clay (The Mental wellness Foundation, 2002). As such, this essay aims to analyse and critique how the detained youth argon diagnosed in psychiatry predominantly focusing on the potential utilisation of psychiatry in alleviating the affable health indispositiones amongst the young offenders in the juvenile system.Crime and amiable illness symptoms In the UK, studies yielded go shown that In the UK, research has shown that the prevalence rate of amiable health problems among the youth in the general nation ranges at 13% for the girls and 10 percent for the boys. On the another(prenominal) hand, the prevalence rate of juveniles with rational disorders in the crimin al justice system ranges from 25 to 81 percent (The Mental wellness Foundation, 2002). darn many researches have been directed towards investigating noetic disorder as the ca enjoyment of crime, the degree _or_ system of government makers have overly assumed that the metal illness symptoms have a direct connection to the crimes commit (Torrey, 2011). Hence, programs that have been initiated to remedy this situation have always operated under the assumption that medication and rational health give-and-take will reduce the criminal style (Skeem, Manchak & Peterson, 2011). On the other hand, al intimately researchers have suggested a novel approach where studies are suffered on 2 multitudes of offenders one root entails a small group of criminal offenders whose mental illness symptoms relate instantly to their crime and a larger group of offenders where their crimes do not relate to their criminal behaviour (Swanson et al., 2008 Skeem et al., 2011). The results of this studies indicated that for the smaller group of offenders, access to mental illness medical treatment led to cut down relapse into criminal behavior. On the other hand, studies conducted the larger group whose criminal actions were not directly connected to mental illness showed that interventions desireed to go beyond the treatment of mental illness symptoms if the criminal justice cores was to be improved. Hence, the approach of treating mental health symptoms as a way of cut down criminal behavior relapse should not be applied indiscriminately. there should be a distinctions between these two groups one group with offender whose criminal behavior was motivated by mental health symptoms and the other group whose criminal behavior is not directly linked to mental health symptoms.Definitions of direct relationships between mental illness symptoms and criminal behavior According to the UK law, section 1(2) of the Mental spell 2007, the mental disorders recognized take eating d isorders, personality disorders, autistic spectrum disorders and mental illnesses (such as bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, embossment and attainment disorders). Before one can consider the how offenders are motivated by mental illness symptoms to commit crimes, one should first consider the exposition of links between the mental illness symptoms and the criminal behavior. Hence, if there is plenteous evidence that the suspect or defendant is suffering from significant mental illness, the prosecution whitethorn not be appropriate lest the crime committed is heartbreaking and there is a high possibility of the offender repetition the crime (The Crown Prosecution Service, 2014). According to the section two, part terzetto of the Mental Health Act which adds a new subsection 1(2A) to the 1983 Mental Health Act, learning disability is interpreted as the incomplete schooling of the mind including social impairment and social functioning. Under this Act, alcohol or drug addiction is not categorized under the mental disorder. However, the mental illness that are as a result of the use or the stopping of drug use are embarrassd in the recital of mental disorder. Under this section of the UK constitution, base conduct and sexual deviancy are not included in mental disorders because they are not clinically recognized to be mental disorders. Despite the heavy definition of insanity, most individuals found to be guilty due to mental insanity have been found to be primarily diagnosed with schizophrenia and were suffering from the symptoms of psychosis during the time that the crime was committed (Callahan et al., 1991). This is because the symptoms of psychosis (such as provoke and impulsivity) are a direct indicant of serious mental illness and the symptoms of schizophrenia, including hallucinations and delusions, bowdlerize an individuals instinct of reality, hence motivating criminal behavior (McNiel, Eisner & Binder, 2009 Douglas, Guy & Hart, 2009).Rese arch on the correlation between mental health symptoms and criminal behaviour many researches, including forensic research, have been concentrating on the connection between mental disorder and criminal behaviour. Monahan et al. (2001), conducts a study which involves more than one thousand psychiatrical patients, focusing on the role psychosis plays during the precedent of the violent incident. Predominantly, patients were asked whether they experienced episodes of hallucinations or correct delusions bandage the violent incidents transpired. The results indicated that just now 12% of the patients were experiencing mental illness symptoms at the time the violent incident occurred. Peterson et al. (2010) also conducted a resembling study involving one 100 and twelve parolees with mental illness compared to one hundred and nine other parolees who were not suffering from mental illnesses. found on the information collected through interviews and records, the offending patterns w ere drawn. The research findings showed that the hornyly reactive pattern of offending was common for most of the offenders, whether suffering from mental illness or not. On further investigation of the offenders with mental illness, the results indicated that only 5% of the parolees committed crimes as an outcome of their psychotic symptoms. Junginger et al. (2006) incorporated the use of a broader definition of the symptoms of metal disorder. They conducted their study on one hundred and thirteen individuals arrested while suffering from symptoms of mental illness and other disorders of spunk eligible for the jail diversion schedule. Their findings indicated that only 4% of the offenders had been arrested for committing crimes directly relating to psychosis while another 4% of the offenders were arrested for crimes that were not directly related to psychosis symptoms such as depression, confusion, petulance and thought disorder. It is, however, not clear how symptoms such as humour are sleep togethered from normative personality characters and the flavoral features found among offenders without mental disorders.The Difficulty in distinguishing between Symptoms and Traits The symptom of mental disorder and normative risk agents for crime becomes hard to distinguish once the mental illness symptoms are broadened beyond psychosis. Anger, for example is strongly related to psychosis symptoms (hallucinations and delusions), symptoms of personality disorders (which includes emotional stability), symptoms of mood disorders (anger attacks and irritability) and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (Novaco, 2011). On the other hand, anger is also a fundamental human emotion that is also a impulsive risk compute for criminal abandon among both the general offenders and psychiatric patients (Gardner et al., 1996). In another study involving one hundred and thirty-two subjects, Skeem et al. (2006) findings indicated that anger is a strong indicator of predicted violence, as opposed to other symptoms that were related to mental disease (such as delusions). Hence, approaching anger as a mental illness symptom risks making a human emotion appear as a symptom of a serious mental illness. Another example of a difficult distinction involves impulsivity which is related to particular proposition symptoms of bipolar disease including being comfortably distracted and unreasonable gay in pleasurable activities which has a possibility of a painful outcome (American psychiatrical Association, 2000). Hence, impulsivity is a common for people suffering from bipolar disease as compared to the general population (Jimenez et al., 2012). On the other hand, impulsivity is a brand common in the criteria for diagnosing asocial personality disorder (American psychiatric Association, 2000) and has been proved to be one of the strongest predictors of criminal acts among both juveniles and adults (Kruger et al. 2007). Hence, it is difficult to dist inguish whether impulsivity is a normative personality trait or a serious mental illness symptom.Mental illnesses and their symptoms Anxiety disorder involves a tendency of individuals to be withdrawn and avoid confrontation with other people. People with anxiety disorders exhibit heightened anxiety, worry and fear that this constant and overwhelming in a way that is crippling. Types of anxiety disorders includes panic disorders, social anxiety disorders, certain phobias towards a specific situation or object and generalized anxiety disorder where a person has excessive worry regular(a) when there is zip that has provoked anxiety. A person with panic disorder is overwhelmed with a feeling of terror without warning has other symptoms such as chest pain, strong and irregular heartbeats and a feeling of being choked. General symptoms of anxiety disorders include problems with sleeping, panic, fear, gruffness of breath, the inability to stay calm, dry mouth, muscle tension, nausea, d izziness and shortness of breath. While research has indicated that the youth with anxiety are little believably to be involved in aggressive tendencies (Connor, 2002), those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have a significant susceptibility to reacting aggressively to threats and in an unexpected mien (Charney et al. 1993). On the other hand, those with posttraumatic disorder combined with conduct disorder (involving antisocial tendencies) were also found to be more aggressive and impulsive as compared with individuals with conduct disorder only (Cauffman, 1998). bipolar disorder involves mood swings ranging from feelings of depression to mania. Bipolar disorder is divided into several categories depending on the patterns of symptoms exhibited by the patient. Bipolar I disorder entails mood swings which top out to increased difficulty in a persons workplace, school or relationships and manic episodes can be serious. Bipolar II disorder is less serious compared to bipol ar I. It involves symptoms such as elevated moods, with some minimal adjustments to the functioning of a person plainly the he or she can conduct the general routine. In this case, one experiences hypomania instead of a full mania. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania compared to full mania. The third type of bipolar disorder is known as cyclothymic disorder with is the mild form of bipolar disorders. In this case, a person experiences hypomania & depression that can be disruptive, but the highs and lows are not as serious as the bipolar I and II disorders. Some symptoms involving the manic or hypo-manic stage of bipolar disorder include Euphoria, poor judgment, aggressive tendencies, risky behavior, racing thoughts, increase drive to achieve goals, irritability and psychosis. The depressive stage of bipolar disorder includes excessive sadness, hopelessness, suicidal behavior, fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, irritability, guilty and poor performance at school or the work place (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). The highs and lows experience by patients can lead them to perform criminal activities especially when they are excessively depressed and easily irritated and can respond to the actions of other members of the society in a way that is harmful. Psychotic disorders include thought disturbances involving unusual interpretations of happenings. Psychotic disorders alter the ability of a person to make rational judgments, think clearly, watch reality, communicate well and behave in the appropriate manner. Patients with severe symptoms of psychotic disorders find it difficult to stay in touch with reality and as such, they can engage in criminal activities even without realizing that what they are doing is wrong. schizophrenic psychosis is one type of psychotic disorder where patients experience changes in behavior and encounter hallucinations and delusions with can last for even more than half a year which greatly diminishes their function and increases their susceptibility to commit crime even without realizing it.Psychiatry Psychiatry is a speciality that deals with the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of mental disorders. On the other hand, a mental disorder is a mental anomaly that causes one to not function properly in society. rhetorical psychiatry deals with the treatment of criminal offenders with mental disorders. There is evidence of individuals with mental health illnesses either being segregated for care or containment for hundreds of years now. Hoswells (1975) recounts that a psychiatric care of the mentally ill was being practices in the health facilities in Islamic countries as early as the eighth century and India this practice implemented as early as the tenth century. Hospitals dedicated for people with mental health problems in England were present even as early as the Middle Ages, as evidenced by the Bethlem Hospital which was built in 1247. Earlier treatments of individuals with mental illnesses involved th e use of milieu therapy, counseling among other archaic methods. The story of modern psychiatry began with the introduction of legislation to protect the rights of individuals with mental illness. The Mental Health Act introduced in 1983 was introduced to protect the rights of detained patients with mental illnesses.Psychiatry and the detained juveniles with mental illnesses Psychiatry presents the beat out methods in treating mental disorders especially among the youth who have a higher(prenominal) chance of being reformed as compared to adults with mental illnesses. However, following the findings covering a high prevalence rate of mental illnesses among the youth indoors the correctional institutions, improvements must be implemented if the detained youth are to allow complete behavioral rehabilitation (Odgers et al., 2005). The juvenile offenders in the justice system require supplementary attention wedded their vulnerability to mental health problems. Research has shown t hat most of the juvenile offenders have more disorders that can be easily diagnosed if close attention is given to them. While many researchers dissent on the number of juveniles with diagnosable disorders, the instalment lies between 50- 70% of the check young population (Colins et al., 2010). Research shows that due to the lack of attention given by the justice authorities, juveniles suffer from more than one mental disorder, with the pistillate juveniles being more inclined to mental health illnesses compare to the mannish juveniles (Schubert & Mulvey, 2014). Howard et al. 2013) conducted a study to explore some factors that would lead to increased criminal recidivism among forensic patients. The findings of their study indicated that those who had endured a severe childhood disorders and drug dependence during adolescence were more likely to engage in rescind to their criminal behavioral patterns as compared to those who did not engage in neither childhood conduct disorders nor drug dependence. As such, forensic psychiatrist should consider the other(prenominal) experiences of their patients if they are to successfully rehabilitate their patients. High risk patients who have a past experience of childhood conduct disorders and drug dependence should be monitored cautiously monitored and given enough support in order to control their chirk up to engage into criminal activities after being released from a controlled environment to the community. While the youth with mental illnesses only commit a small fraction of the delinquencies in the community, they are at high risk of offending or re-offending as compared to the youth in the general population. Hence, more research need to be conducted to inform more effective policies to respond appropriately. Particularly, the processing of juveniles in the justice system should be improved so as to trace the youth with critical mental health needs. As such, evidence-based psychiatry run should be incorporate d to identify the juveniles who may be in need of long term mental health support. The screening results should then be recorded to provide information that is required for planning and resource exploitation (Grisso, 2008).Conclusion This essay highlighted the relationship between criminality and mental illnesses at length and it was found that there was a significant relationship but the breath of the definition of mental disorder was a key factor when evaluating this relationship. It was found that some symptoms of mental illness such as depression, confusion, irritability or even thought disorder are not directly related to crime committed given that they can also be categorized as normal personality traits. Hence the breath of the definition of mental illness is key in determining its correlation with crime. This relationship was also evaluated from a legal point of view when determining whether to arraign offenders with mental illnesses and it was established that such offend er should only be prosecuted if there is a high possibility of committing the crime again. Under the UK law, mental disorder is any disability of the mind and does not include alcohol dependence, immoral conduct nor sexual deviancy. This research essay also discussed psychiatry and it role in treating the detained youth with mental illnesses. While psychiatry presents one of the most effective methods of treating mental illnesses among detained youths, the high prevalence rates of mental illnesses in the juvenile justice systems indicate the need for research based methods in psychiatry services so as to isolate the juvenile who may be in need of long term mental health support. This is because, this group of juveniles pose the highest risk of repeating the crimes they committed with released into the community.ReferencesAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., text modification (DSMIVTR). Arlington, VA American Psych iatric Association.Cauffman, E. et al. (1998). Posttraumatic taste Disorder among Female teenaged Offenders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 37, 1209-16.Charney, D. et al. (1993). Psychobiological Mechanisms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. 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