Mental Illness and Crime

MENTAL ILLNESS AND CRIME

Mental Illness and Crime

Sonya Traylor

Keiser University

Abstract

This paper is the study of how having a mental illness can lead to a person committing a crime. There is a great need to explore how a person with a mental illness can commit a crime and be convicted by a court of law. In this assignment I will address issues that relate to or that have significant factors that lead to a person with a mental illness committing a crime or being convicted of a crime. The hope is that the small amount of information provided will inspire others to delve deeper, discuss the areas of improvement needed, and bring about change. The majority of the studies will focus mainly on mentally ill inmates, the crimes they mostly commit and if there are any programs in place to assist them and their families in order to become successful as possible and capable of dealing with certain situations in a manner that will not cause them to be incarcerated. Understanding a mentally ill individual begins with education and training. To incarcerate people who have a mental illness is counterproductive and only adds to the problems they already face. Any inmates in jail that are mentally ill should be afforded the opportunity to receive mental health services that will assist them during their incarceration period until thus ending their jail sentences, if they are convicted of a crime. Educating an individual in this area includes training classes, hands on practical’s, continuous updating on handling rules and regulation, for all personnel that will be dealing with a mentally ill incarcerated individual. This training should not be limited to professionals only it should also be available to their families as well. By the family members becoming involved in the education they will began to stick together for the purpose of helping the incarcerated individual achieve the goal that is set for them.

Millions of people in this country live with various types of mental health problems and mental health illness such as drug addiction, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, bi-polar, and schizophrenia. When left untreated by the proper medication or psychotherapy, in most cases cognition is lost. Cognition is defined by Webster is of or in relation to the mental process of perception, memory, judgement reasoning, as contrasted with emotional and volitional processes. Prisoners have gone undiagnosed for such a long period of time, that often time they are unwilling to accept the diagnosis or the mere fact that they have a mental illness or disorder. Therefore making it extremely difficult for the mental health professionals to complete their jobs. There are individuals that are incarcerated and are fully aware that they have a mental disorder and is not receiving the proper medication or treatment, their situation usually becomes exacerbated. These individuals become more aggressive with staff and fellow inmates and become irritated at any given time for the slightest reason. This type of treatment for and incarcerated individual is barbaric and inhumane. Some individuals that are incarcerated with a mental disorder finds themselves in solitary confinement. This only pushes the individual over the edge even more. The individual is once again is being ignored and as a result of being locked down for twenty three hours a day becomes more aggressive and withdrawn. Any person that is kept in a small room with only a bed, a toilet, a sink, a small windowand is given all their meals through a shoot (small opening on a cell door) everyday while they are incarcerated can only be expected to eventually lose their mind and regress at the same time.

Interview

I interviewed Officer Shenica Collier of the Manatee County Sheriff Department and I asked her a series of questions pertaining to Prison Reform and Rehabilitation. Her current job is a Florida Department of Law Enforcement Parole and Probation officer. Officer Collier has worked as a certified Correctional Officer at South Florida Reception Center and the Miami Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. During her tour of dutyshe has witnessed several instances of individuals being incarcerated and not being given the proper treatment to assist them and their families while they are incarcerated and once they are released from custody.

1. During your tour of duty how often did you come in contact with an individual that was mentally ill and was not receiving the services they needed?

Officer Collier stated she had come in contact will mentally individuals that were incarcerated and not receiving the proper assistance on a daily basis. She stated “it is very hard to see an individual locked up and not fully understand the reason why they are there.” These individuals are passed through the court system on a daily basis back and forward due to the lack of knowledge of a police officer, attorney, and family member that feels that locking the individual up is the only way to get them some type of help.

1. Have you witnessed the screening process to determine whether or not an newly incarcerated individual is mentally ill?

Officer Collier stated yes she has. During the intake process certain questions are asked and depending on the inmate’s responses they are referred to Mental Health for further evaluation and treatment if needed. In some cases, family member will call and advise the medical staff of the mental diagnosis and give the name and dosage of medication that he/she should be or was taken of the individual that is being interviewed. This would make the individual a candidate for mental health services. Lastly, any officer that usually works around a certain inmate, could also make a referral if they notice the inmate has become withdrawn, displaying symptoms of depression or behaving in a manner not previously displayed by inmates.