...Mentally Ill in Prison PSCH/610 Mentally Ill in Prison Abstract The increase in incarcerated individuals with mental illness in the preceding decades has made the prison system a prevalent mental health provider even though they are not prepared or equipped for such task. Prison life is tough on an individual’s mental health; overcapacity, lack of privacy, violent behavior, lack of activity, inadequate health services, seclusion from family and friends, and the insecurity of what life holds after prison contribute to the inmate’s mental health. Inmates whose judgment is altered or impaired by depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other severe mental illnesses are impacted more severely by the tribulations of prison life. Inadequate mental health services is also something mentally ill inmates face, this absconds them undertreated or mistreated. Numerous prisoners do not receive proper psychotropic medication due to the lack of mental health services and care, further impairing their capability to function. The security mission of prisons tends to overlook mental health considerations. Prison rules and codes of demeanor teach staff about security, safety, supremacy, and power. Coordinating the needs of the mentally ill with prison regulations and goals is almost impractical. Factors of the sources and effects of the concern between prison and mental illness will be observed in this research proposal. Reforms will be provided to improve mental health...
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...Population of Mentally Ill Inmates in the Correctional Facilities 3 Mentally ill inmates: The Cost 4 The Treatment of Mentally Ill Inmates 6 Selection Process for Mentally Ill Inmates 7 Isolation and Restraints 9 Conclusion 11 References 12 Introduction When a person thinks about a correction facility many only think that there is only regular criminals that are perfectly well, but what they neglect to know is that it is also housed with mentally ill inmates as well. Many of the people has been brained washed by media and movies that prisoners are to be normal criminals who have done things wrong in which has lead into a correction facility but what the fail to publicize is that they are also house by people who are not mentally stable, and who may receive different treatment from regular inmates. Correctional facilities have many types of inmates and undergo various dilemmas therefore they must try to deal with the cost of the inmates, provide different treatment and must undergo special screening in order to determine if they are ill or not. Population of Mentally Ill Inmates in the Correctional Facilities The country that has the greatest rate of adult imprisonment is the United States; it has 2.2 million presently in the correctional facilities (Annaceri, 2007). Individuals with psychological problems have been progressively more imprisoned within the last three decades, most likely the consequence of the deinstitutionalization of the state psychological system (Annaceri...
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...In our society the people who are suffering with mental illness known as most stigmatized . Elliot and colleagues reports that the stigma which is associated with Mental illness creates social barrier to the Mentally ill people. They are treated differently from the normal people and excluded from the community with the perception of abnormal interaction, dangerous and also with not predictable behaviour . All these situations in society creates a challenge to the mentally ill to face not only their illness but also the community. Public stigma may leads the stress in mentally ill, which will increase psychological problems like depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. (4, 5)Stigma was explained by Thornicroft et al., with three interrelated elements as ignorance, prejudice and discrimination. This stigma associated with persons with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) causes discrimination in India. By treating the mental illness clinically we can observe the reduction in associated stigma.(6) The unipolar major depression was accounted as major cause of disease burden among women in...
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...THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS Name Institution Subject Date Attestation I appreciate the nature of plagiarism, and I am mindful of the University’s course of action on this. I, therefore, attest that this dissertation reports unique work by me throughout my University project. Signature (you must delete this, then sign and date this page) Date Acknowledgements I would like to pass my sincerest gratitude to my parents who shaped me to the person I am today. Moreover, I would like to acknowledge my supervisor and other academic staff that provided unconditional guidance and support. I would, furthermore, like to recognize my fellow students and colleagues who helped me in the facilitation of this project in various ways. In addition, I would also like to acknowledge the general public for allowing me to conduct my interviews. Last but not least, I would like to acknowledge my friends for providing their time, cooperation and tolerance before and after the study. Abstract The mentally ill offenders have arguably been viewed on an exclusionary spectrum continuum. The public has adopted punitive attitudes that have significantly hampered with restorative measures. The aim of this study is to examine the perception of the public regarding the mentally ill offenders. The sample investigated comprised of 3 most dominant ethnic groups. Out of 200 respondents there was an average of 30 participants for...
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...the attention of readers while at the same time playing with their emotions. As if for instance, Edgar Allan Poe wrote a story entitled ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ to convince the readers of the book on his sanity based on the murder activity in his life. Based on Edgar’s book, this paper analyses the story in trying to establish the psychological problem of the narrator. Analysis of various incidences in the story The narrator speaks of murdering an old man and he uses this as an evidence of sanity. This is thus a crime and it reveals that he has monomania. From the story, it is clear that the murdered old man did not have any quarrels or any form of clashes with the author but still the author just chose to murder him. From the analysis of the story, there is nowhere in the book that the author talks ill of the old man. Instead, he praises him stating that he does not know what made him kill the man (Harper, 2013). From the story, the author loved the old man and he never wronged anyone, not even the person who killed him. Despite the old man having various treasures such as gold and other objects, the killer, that is, the author, never had an ill will against his possessions that could have made him kill the man to inherit his property (Harper, 2013). The man was a father figure and a property owner to the author, who was his servant. The only thing that could have made the author kill the man could have been his power shown by the vulture-like eyes that he had...
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...The biological approach states that psychological disorders are physical illnesses, and that the cause may be one or more of the following: brain injury, infection, neurotransmitters or genetics. Accidental brain damage can lead to psychological disorders. Some examples are, a degeneration or malformation of brain cells can cause memory loss often present in Alzheimer’s disease. Korsakoff’s syndrome occurs when alcohol and drugs damage part of the brain involved with memory. We are familiar with the idea that bacteria or viruses causing physical illnesses, e.g. flu or meningitis, however it seems that infection can also cause mental illnesses. For example, influenza has been linked to schizophrenia. Torrey found that the mothers of schizophrenic people had contacted a particular strain of influenza during pregnancy. The virus may enter the unborn child’s brain where it is dormant until puberty, when other hormones activate it, producing schizophrenic symptoms. Neurotransmitters are thought to be out of balance in the nervous systems id individuals with certain psychological disorders/ mental illnesses. Depression has been associated with decrease availability of serotonin, and has also been associated with higher than normal levels of the cortisol hormone. Images of the brain have measured the action of neurotransmitters and associated illness like depression, (Mann et al. 1996). Important new genetic research has highlighted the possibility that some people may be genetically...
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...Human Rights: Ceasing Torture and ill Treatment “In Guantanamo, Kurnaz was subjected to abusive practices and interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, religious and sexual humiliation, sleep deprivation, and solitary confinement. Of his time in detention, Kurnaz stated that he was repeatedly made to feel less human” (Patel). This excerpt is a real life connection of torture and ill treatment. Torture is commonly overlooked due to the lack of interest and knowledge about it. For instance, “In international human rights law, torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, physical or mental, is inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining information or a confession, or to punish, intimidate or coerce” (Rabbit). Basically,...
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...An effective system of inmate discipline is very important when running a prison or jail. Usually, mentally ill inmates have had few or no protections against discipline routinely applied to their non-mentally ill peers. Arising from recent class action lawsuits challenging the quality of mental health care delivery in the nation’s prisons, prison mental health professionals have been called on to play an increasing role in the inmate disciplinary process. Referral questions include whether an inmate is competent to proceed with disciplinary proceedings and whether mental illness may have contributed to the rule violation. Prison mental health professionals participating in inmate disciplinary proceedings must therefore be familiar with relevant clinical, legal, and ethics issues. Little has been written in the psychiatric literature, however, examining this important role for prison mental health professionals. After first reviewing core legal and constitutional concepts, the author presents the results of a nationwide survey examining the role for mental health professionals in the inmate disciplinary process. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to provide a comprehensive review of this subject. Most prison systems have procedures for punishing prisoners who violate prison rules and for removing inmates from the general population for disciplinary or safety reasons. (For the purpose of this article, the terms “prisoner” and “inmate” will be used interchangeably...
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...Psychological Analysis of Firearm Misuse and the Public Perspective of Firearm Violence Colin R. Moran Columbus State Community College, Ohio Abstract Every year, more and more people are subjected to the lifelong fear created by events of isolated firearm misuse. This paper will explore the psychological aspects of firearm misuse, question the means which the media uses to distribute information about the events, and apply published research from various reliable sources to conclude the problems created by the methods we approach this issue. This research will also discuss the many hardships that the experts face in predicting and preventing these events, while suggesting possible changes that might lead to improved accuracy and...
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...Analysis of Mental Illness v. Drug Abuse Offenses Sandra L. Manela CRJ308: Psychology of Criminal Behavior Currie Gauvreau January 16, 2012 Analysis of Mental Illness v. Drug Abuse Offenses Many have criminalized mental illness and, all too often, mental illness has been used in criminal courts as a legal defense. It may be that more criminals are looking for this defense to be their ticket to criminal activity thinking that a serious mental illness would trump conviction. This has given mental illness the stigma it has today. The forthcoming analysis will shed light on the findings of four psychiatrists from the state of Hawaii; the objective, method used, the results, and conclusion of a possible linkage of the effects that mental illness and drug abuse have concerning criminal offenses. The four psychiatrists are from the University of Hawaii. Dr. Junginger is affiliated with the Mental Health Clinical Center at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Claypoole and Dr. Crisanti are with the Department of Psychology at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, in Honolulu. Finally, Dr. Laygo is with ORC (Offender Re-entry Community) Macro in Atlanta. The mere presence of a mental illness does not guarantee that a defendant will be found incompetent to stand trial. Mental disorder classifications are published in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and were compiled by committees appointed by the American...
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...“Crime is the result of individual behaviour, rather than the product of a socialisation process” Discuss. For decades sociologists from around the world have been debating what factors lead people to commit crime. Some have deduced that individual behaviour is the primary factor while others have concluded that crime is more the product of a socialisation process. In order to understand this contentious issue it is necessary to consider the credibility of a number of theories: physiological, psychological, right realism, Marxism, subculturalism, and left realism. Through the analysis of these theories, a conclusion will then be arrived at as to whether individual behaviour, rather than the socialisation process, is the main cause of crime. Physiological theories focus on the relationship between a person’s biology and crime. Therefore, this theoretical area of study clearly links the individual to crime. Today, a number of criminologists continue to support physiological explanations, even though, historically, many of theories linked to physiology have been disproved. Anne Moir and David Jessel are two such theorists who have proposed a link between biology and crime. They have suggested that a low IQ (which can be inherited) leads to impulsive behaviour, which may in turn lead a person to be more likely to commit crime. Moir and Jessel also claim that there is a link between crime and hormonal differences which make males more aggressive than females and therefore...
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...Criminal Behavior Lorenzo Reid Virginia College Online Abstract The following paper will address the different areas of the Psychological and Psychiatric Foundations of Criminal Behavior. Within this paper, every aspect from theories to what the law states when it comes to this state will be addressed. Criminal Behavior Doctor Leon Eisenberg once stated, "...persons who are seriously mentally ill are far more likely to be the victims of violence than its initiators." (Campbell) Yet how true is that? When it comes to mental illness, there have been several violent crimes that have been committed, and been blamed on mental illness. There are several shows for entertainment such as the show “Criminal Minds”, that attempts to bring a reality and understanding to mental illness and criminal behavior. This show gives a reality to the fact that people can be simply mentally ill and not simply criminals. In early society times, people simply did not take mental illness into account. It was thought that people, regardless of their mental state, should be accountable for their actions. Yet, in today’s society, this is not the case. Due to research and a better developed country, citizens are given an opportunity to show that their mental state was not steady when they committed a crime. So, what is it then, which motivated a person to kill or maim another? How can a person kill someone else, or a numerous amount of people, with no remorse? These questions and several...
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...12 April 2012 Capital punishment also known as the death penalty is the process by which convicted criminals are executed by the federal government. The death penalty has always been part of human history; there is archaeological evidence that proves executions were practiced as early as the 8th century BCE. The first execution in the American colonies took place in Virginia in 1608 when George Kendall was accused of espionage. By 1612, many colonies approved the method of execution by hanging or firing squad; the executions were made public in an effort to increase fear of committing a crime (Issitt, Micha L.Newton, Heather). Executions were abolished in 1972, by the Supreme Court during the Furman v. Georgia. The court ruled that death sentences are handed down arbitrarily, violating the 18th amendment of the U.S. constitution and where “cruel and unusual” (Farley Matchett). The United States did not perform any capital punishments for five years. Then, in 1976 the death penalty was reinstated and Gary Gilmore was the first person to be executed after this hiatus (Issitt, Micha L.Newton, Heather). In a modern society that values life, righteousness and justice, the United States is still part of a decreasing number of countries that still use this sort of punishment. The death penalty is a highly debatable topic since it makes it hard for an observer to pick a side, because for every point there is a counterpoint. From where I stand, after making extensive research, the death...
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...a strategy for violence, you must first know what a suicide attack is. A suicide attack "a violent attack in which the attacker expects to die in the process". Suicide bombings have occurred numerous times in history, dating back to the first suicide bombings in the 1800's. Some wonder if Suicide attacks are because of religious beliefs and/or mental disorders. But most studies and interviews have shown that that is not the case. But the question that has been asked countless times is; what provokes people to carry out such a tragic action? Looking at the statistics, studies show that many suicide bombers are not the stereotypical extremists that have nothing to live for. According to one article, while recruited bombers are mentally ill, there are many recruits who come from more normal sides of life (brittanica.com). This is...
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...Abnormal Psychology LAQs 1. Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis. Paragraph 1 (Introduction): ● Classification system is said to be reliable when it is possible for 4 different clinicians, using the same system, to arrive at same diagnosis for same individual ● Examples: DSM-4, CCMD, ICD-10 ● Though diagnosis systems use more standardized assessment techniques and more specific diagnostic criteria than in the past, classification system is far from perfect ● Classification system said to be valid when it is able to classify a real pattern of symptoms, which can lead to an effective treatment ● However, problem with this is that the classification system is descriptive and doesn’t identify any specific causes for disorders Paragraph 2 (Study 1): Sane or Insane-Rosenhan (1973) Aim: test reliability of psychiatric diagnosis Procedure: field experiment Part 1 ● 8 healthy people (5 men, 3 women) gained admission to 12 different psychiatric hospitals ● Complained of hearing unclear, unfamiliar voices of same sex repeating words “thud” and “empty” ● Participants said they felt fine after admission to hospital (no more symptoms) Part 2 ● Rosenhan told staff at psychiatric hospital that pseudopatients will try to get admitted ● No pseudopatients were actually sent Results: Part 1 ● 7 diagnosed with schizophrenia ● Took average 19 days for discharge and were classified as “schizophrenia in...
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