Crime and Mental Illness

A Psychological Perspective

Jeannie M. WeltzinArgosy University

Mental Illness

• In 2008 Bartol states that mental illness is a disorder (some say a disease) of the mind that is judged by experts to interfere substantially with a person’s ability to cope with life on a daily basis. It presumably deprives the person of freedom of choice, but it is important to note that there are degrees to this deprivation.

Schizophrenia• “Schizophrenia is the mental disorder that

people most often associate with “crazy behavior,” since it frequently manifests itself in highly bizarre actions.” (Bartol 2008 p. 228)

• What if the mind of a person with a mental disorder looked like this and the path was always curved so they could never see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Parricide• Parricide- Marleau 2010 defined

parricide as the murder of one or more biological parents, stepparents, or adoptive parents. • Matricide is also a form of parricide

where the child murders their mother or feminine parental figure.

Delusional disorders • In 2008 Bartol stated that

delusional disorders (also called paranoid disorders) are characterized by the presence of one or more nonbizarre delusions that persist for at least one month.

Depressive Disorder

• Bartol noted in 2008 that the symptoms of depressive disorders include an extremely depressed state that lasts for at least two weeks and is accompanied by a generalized slowing down of mental and physical activity, gloom, despair, feelings of worthlessness, and perhaps frequent thoughts of suicide.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

• The essential feature of a person with an antisocial personality disorder (APD) is a history of continuous behavior in which the rights of others are violated” (Bartol 2008 p. 235).

Conclusion

• In a world where crime and mental illness often come hand in hand there must be something that can be done for those who suffer from these mental illness.

• Education may be one weapon that can be used against criminal behaviors cause by the mentally ill.

• Helping those who do not understand the mentally ill may also be a very important step towards helping the mentally ill better cope in society.

References:• Bartol, C.R. (2008). Criminal behavior: a psychosocial approach. New Jersey:

Pearson Education Inc. Retrieved From: Vital Source Bookshelf • Gibbon, S., Ferriter, M., & Duggan, C. (2009). A comparison of the family and

childhood backgrounds of hospitalised offenders with schizophrenia or personality disorder. Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health, 19(3), 207-218. doi:10.1002/cbm Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/55811135?accountid=34899

• Liem, M., & Roberts, D. W. (2009). Intimate partner homicide by presence or absence of a self-destructive act. Homicide Studies, 13(4), 339-354. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/742766437?accountid=34899