...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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...further notes… “ this literature review passage should summarize large groups of studies instead of individual ones”( Creswell, 2009, p.104). Rhodes, A.L. Total Confinement: Madness and Reason in the Maximum Security Prison (2004) is a book written by Dr. Lorna Rhodes. Her study explores, examines, and recognizes what life is like inside confined walls of solitary units inside prisons. Her study provides not only the image of solitary confinement- but the sense of loss and liberty of humanity when an offender is faced with long periods of extensive isolation from all; but those who feed you (correctional officers). Dr. Rhodes- explores and discusses the challenges that are faced both by the front-line-staff and offenders. Such as, psychological, emotional, and physiological changes- and provides her academic perspective with a scientific response. Rationale for Selection There are a lot of research currently available in-regards to isolation of offenders, and the biological effects on human body, mind, and perceptions. This study is valuable to my research even though the findings are not as scientific as I would have hoped; nevertheless, it provides circumstantial evidence that supports the harmful and toxic effects of segregation on offenders, health care providers, and the front-line-staff. Her portrayal and descriptive encounters with all that are involved in her ethnographic study holds true- as I am presently integrated in the life of incarceration, and segregation...
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...RUNNINGHEAD: Abbreviated Qualitative Research Plan Abbreviated Qualitative Research Plan Tiana Parisa Mash Walden University RSCH-8100Y-6 Dr. David Horner February 2nd, 2014 Introduction The term “corrections” mean many different things to the average citizen. Some of these connotations have created several myths surrounding what a correctional institution is and what it does. Ideally, mentally ill offenders that are assigned to a correctional facility are supposedly “rehabilitated” through such an assignment. However, as a state or sheriff office representatives- we as a community of professional are not at liberty to mistreat other human beings- morally and ethically. Conversely, prison, jail, and correctional environment are different. This is a subculture within a subculture- with its own rules, regulation, and policies for both employee’s and inmates a like. (Mash, 2013, Para. 2) International Association for Correctional Psychology and Forensic (IACFP) standards discussed in chapter 12 of Bartol and Bartol (2012) holds an institutional psychologist responsible for their actions even though the client population are in secure custody, and in most events in segregation. As the authors elaborate on page (pp. 411-413)… “Both jails and prisons… can be violent, noisy… demeaning places that promote isolation, helplessness and subservience through the use of overwhelming power, often by instilling fear”( Bartol and Bartol, 2012, p...
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...further notes… “ this literature review passage should summarize large groups of studies instead of individual ones”( Creswell, 2009, p.104). Rhodes, A.L. Total Confinement: Madness and Reason in the Maximum Security Prison (2004) is a book written by Dr. Lorna Rhodes. Her study explores, examines, and recognizes what life is like inside confined walls of solitary units inside prisons. Her study provides not only the image of solitary confinement- but the sense of loss and liberty of humanity when an offender is faced with long periods of extensive isolation from all; but those who feed you (correctional officers). Dr. Rhodes- explores and discusses the challenges that are faced both by the front-line-staff and offenders. Such as, psychological, emotional, and physiological changes- and provides her academic perspective with a scientific response. Rationale for Selection There are a lot of research currently available in-regards to isolation of offenders, and the biological effects on human body, mind, and perceptions. This study is valuable to my research even though the findings are not as scientific as I would have hoped; nevertheless, it provides circumstantial evidence that supports the harmful and toxic effects of segregation on offenders, health care providers, and the front-line-staff. Her portrayal and descriptive encounters with all that are involved in her ethnographic study holds true- as I am presently integrated in the life of incarceration, and segregation...
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...disability and an increased risk of suffering. While it is true that some crime can undoubtedly be explained by mental illness, to consider all crime as a manifestation of such an illness would eliminate any sensible boundaries to the concept of mental illness and would be an unrealistic overstatement of the relationship between mental illness and crime. Mental illness is linked with criminality only in a very complex and ill defined way and the behaviour of mentally ill offenders is rarely explicable purely because of their mental state. There are a number of observations that have been made that necessarily complicate the question of whether there is any causal link between mental illness and crime. Firstly, in many cases, it is impossible to determine when the mental illness may have started in the patient. For example, the mental illness may come about as a direct result of the traumatic experience of imprisonment and in such a case the illness would be a result of the crime as opposed to a cause of it. Secondly, it is often overlooked that in the vast majority of cases mental illness does not have anything to do with crime. A lot of people who suffer from mental illnesses have never offended and lead perfectly normal, law-abiding lives. Thirdly mental illnesses affect a specific part of an individual’s personality...
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...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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...about the Criminal Client. In this research paper you will understand how the criminal justice system operates as a large selection process to determine who ends up in the corrections system. You will also describe some of the main similarities among and differences between the general population and people who end up under correctional authority. I will identify different types of offenders in the corrections system and the kinds of problems they pose for corrections. I will describe the classification process for people under correctional authority and know why it is important. And lastly you will understand the important problems and limitations in classifying people under correctional authority. The conclusion of the research paper will note how all of these things compare to reality today. Keywords: situational offender, career criminal, sex offender, drug abuser, alcohol abuser, mentally ill offender, deinstitutionalization, mentally handicapped offender, long term prisoner, and classification systems. Chapter 6 starts off telling me about a man name Michael G. Santos’s. He is a long term offender who was sentence to 45 years in federal prison because of cocaine trafficking when he was 24 years old. While he was incarcerated, he has obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degrees, published six books, and written articles for several national journals (Clear, Cole, & Reisig, 2011-2013). He runs every morning to clear his head on the prison track. He is not your typical correctional...
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...the overcrowding of prisons; however, the increasing rates of the mentally ill in the prison system is also a very prominent issue that contributes to a lack of resources for the convicted. According to the US Bureau of Justice, over half of all prison and jail inmates nationwide have mental health problems. Although there is an abundant amount of research on the mentally ill in prison, many people are not aware of the social implications the mentally ill face when they are released back into society. Based on research conducted in North America, there is a repeating issue of recidivism which is the fact that these individuals are more likely to return to prison. The lack of concern for the recidivism in mentally...
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...over-representation of the mentally ill in the Canadian criminal justice system is unknown, evidence clearly points to the fact that it is not only existent, but it is also significant. Although mental illness is invariably defined, the broadest definition which includes substance abuse and antisocial personality disorder leads to the conclusion that at least 90% of offenders in the Canadian criminal justice system in Canada have a history of mental illness. Antisocial personality disorder is the most common diagnosis and is estimated to plague at least 80%of the population of prisoners within the Canadian criminal justice system. In addition, other infrequently diagnosed conditions include brain injuries, low...
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...Insanity is defined as “The principal legal doctrine permitting consideration of mental abnormality in assessing criminal liability. Those acquitted of criminal charges as Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity are typically required to spend an indeterminate period of treatment in a secure mental health facility until they are no longer dangerous to self or others”.(Greene & Heilbrun). Each state carries its own statutes on how to deal with the insanity defense. In the state of California the follow the M’Naghten rule. The M’Naghten rule was established in 1843 after an Englishman by the name of Daniel M’Naghten murdered the secretary of the British prime minister. M’Naghten suffered from delusions that made him believe that he was being stalked and plotted against. He was charged with murder and plead not guilty by reason of insanity. He got off under his insanity plea, but ended up in a mental institution for the remainder of his life. This infuriated some people so Queen Victoria imposed the M’Naghten rule as a stricter guideline (or test) for the insanity defense. This rule implies that a person that commits a crime did not understand the difference between right and wrong at the time the crime had taken place. It must be proved by the defense that the person on trial has some sort of “disease of the mind” that would cause them to commit the crimes they have. It excuses the behavior that took place in the event that insanity can be proved. Because the M’Naghten rule is still...
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...is caused by extended jail sentences, severe sentencing for drug related offenses, and imprisonment of the mentally ill, which generates inhumane living conditions for inmates. Solutions are relocating drug related offenses and allowing shorter sentences for nonviolent prisoners. Description of Problem Overcrowding in prisons has become a major growing issue in the United States recently. “From 2006 to 2011, prison population grew at 9.5 percent, outpacing the 7 percent growth...
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...1.) The crime rates in Gresham are going up due to gentrification. Crime rates used to be higher in other parts of Portland, but lately people have been pushed towards Gresham. Those who are now not able to afford rent, food prices and living expenses are pushed out towards the Gresham area. This falls under the category of displacement. People with lower income were displaced due to gentrification. This displacement was due to urban planning. Other metropolitan areas are seeing a decrease due to the micro-level crime control activities and this decrease brought a renovated neighborhood. 2.) Having a proactive attitude against crime results better than a reactive approach. Extra police cars patrolling the area will only stop crimes in action...
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...Who Distinguishes Evil from Illness? By age 30 Andrea Yates had been high school class valedictorian, captain of the swim team, an officer in the National Honor Society, graduated from the University of Houston as a registered nurse, wedded and had her first child. It seemed Yates’s ambition of fulfilling her life with all her hopes and dreams could not be diverted. The Yates family was very religious and Bible reading was an enjoyed pass time within the household. Around 1990, Andrea’s internal issues came to the surface with her self-mutilation accompanied by a suicide attempt, which was followed by a short admission into a psychiatric ward. When released her mood had stabilized from a newly prescribed anti-psychotic with her life looking up. This cycle, unfortunately, insisted on continuing on three separate occasions before Andrea was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and post-partum depression. Yates was warned that if she were to become pregnant again it was highly likely the episodes of psychotic behavior would resurface. She began to grasp the magnitude of her mental health and was readily taking her medications despite the begging and pleading from her husband for another child. Nonetheless, Andrea gave in and the pregnancy of her 5th child began in 2000. In the events of her newborn’s birth, discontinuation of her anti-psychotic, and the passing of her father, Andrea’s spiral into depression was more catastrophic than ever. June 20th, 2001, her husband went...
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...Insanity is Insane Picture this: I just went to a liquor store, stole some liquor, shot the cashier, drove off drinking and driving, hit 20 people killing 7 and injuring 13 but that’s only because I’m insane. In court, they will do a series of test that proves I am insane. I will plead guilty of insanity and go to an institution where a close eye will be put on me. In 2014, a group study discovered that of all court cases, the insanity defense had be used in 1% of cases. In addition, the success rate of those cases is only about 26% (Apecsec). Let’s think about the word insanity, it translate to madness or mentally ill. Another word to check out is crazy, it translated to mean aggressively wild. Now that fine line is what is harder to determine....
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...adopt some of the aspects of the adult system by building a state of the art facility that houses probation, home confinement, work release, and community service all in one place. The necessity for these services is crucial to the commitment to rehabilitation of youthful offenders. This project is a joint venture with the Department of Corrections, the city government, and the Department of Juvenile Justice. There are three areas that this proposal will address as far as social need and the explanation for these services. The three areas of deficiency that have to be addressed in relation to delinquency are family life and financial need, diagnosis of mental disabilities, and the likelihood of offending based on ethnic background. The purpose of this new facility is not to punish, but to get to the root of the reason for offending. Mental Health of Juvenile Offenders The most effective way to diagnose the problems associated with juveniles who offend or continue to offend is to make sure that all offenders, at one point or another, have had a mental health evaluation. So many of mental issues associated with juveniles go ignored or unnoticed. If these issues are recognized ahead of time then a case manager can create a comprehensive plan of action geared toward treatment. Rosenbaum said it best when he stated the following: It is clear that a sizeable portion of youths in juvenile facilities has significant mental health needs. An adequate...
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