Personality, Mental Illness, and Substance Abuse—Psychological Theories of Criminal Behavior

Week 3: Personality, Mental Illness, and Substance Abuse—Psychological Theories of Criminal Behavior

Studies suggest that the prevalence of mental illness and substance abuse is higher among inmates than the general population (Fazel, Yoon, & Hayes, 2017; Prins, 2014). Such studies raise questions about the degree to which mental illness and substance abuse contribute to criminal behavior and, if so, whether jail time and prison sentences are the appropriate responses.

This week, you examine psychological theories of criminal behavior, which explain how mental illness (e.g., mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and personality disorders) and substance abuse can contribute to criminal behavior.

References:

Fazel, S., Yoon, I. A., & Hayes, A. J. (2017). Substance use disorders in prisoners: An updated systematic review and meta‐regression analysis in recently incarcerated men and women. Addiction, 112(10), 1725–1739. doi:10.1111/add.13877

Prins, S. J. (2014). Prevalence of mental illnesses in U.S. state prisons: A systematic review. Psychiatric Services, 65(7), 862–872. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201300166

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Explain how mental illness can contribute to criminal behavior

Evaluate the use of different law enforcement responses to offenders with mental illness

Apply psychological concepts and theories to criminal behavior

Analyze the interaction among and the cumulative effects of social, behavioral, cognitive, and psychological factors on criminal behavior

THIS ABOVE READING IS JUST READING MATERIAL TO PREPARE YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT DOWN BELOW….

Discussion: Mentally Ill Offenders and the Criminal Justice System

I HAVE ATTACHED A REWRITE IN YOUR OWN WORDS TO USE AND PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU QUOTE AND REFERENCE FROM THE TEXTBOOK…. THANKS

The closure of many psychiatric hospitals and the release of thousands of patients, beginning with deinstitutionalization in the 1950s and 1960s, triggered a mental health crisis in U.S. society. Continuing to the present, treatment options for individuals with mental illness are often inaccessible or inadequate due to financial status, stigma, and the complex healthcare system. Some sufferers then turn to alcohol and drugs to self-medicate, which further exacerbates their condition. This combination of mental illness and substance abuse creates a “perfect storm” of often erratic, impulsive, and aggressive actions that increase the likelihood for criminal behavior. Law enforcement officers are the first responders to calls involving crimes committed by people suffering from mental illness. As a result, officers must be prepared to de-escalate potentially volatile situations and find novel alternatives to arrest and incarceration.

For this Discussion, you consider how specific mental illnesses may contribute to criminal behavior and identify viable alternatives to arrest and incarceration.

To prepare:

Select a mental illness to discuss that could contribute to criminal behavior.

Post a response that addresses the following:

How could the mental disorder you selected contribute to criminal behavior? Use specific examples to illustrate your response.

Under what circumstances should offenders with mental illness be arrested? If arrest is not a viable option, what alternatives could law enforcement officers use to prevent future criminal behavior?