The Mentally Ill Population

The Mentally Ill Population

The Mentally Ill Population carries certain characteristics that are common. Female offenders have more serious mental health symptoms (Siegel, Criminology, 2009, p. 139). Substance abuse is higher in the mentally ill population (Siegel, Criminology, 2009, p. 139). Stress can exacerbate an inmate’s disorder when they are confined (Regoli, 2008, p. 394). Some can become unpredictably violent or aggressive (Regoli, 2008, p. 394). All SES groups are affected by mental illness – The low SES is most affected by its consequences (Gaines, 2008, p. 266). The mentally ill make up a large part of the disenfranchised population (Gaines, 2008, p. 264). Society tends to deal with the mentally ill in the same group as “the homeless” (Gaines, 2008, p. 264).
The mentally ill are a significant problem for police agencies. A survey of a large police department in 2000 revealed that 89 percent of police officers had contact with a mentally ill person in the previous year. (Gaines, 2008, p. 266). Helping the person with mental illness is problematic due to the lack of training on recognizing and handling mentally disturbed citizens (Gaines, 2008, p. 266). A 1988 study found that police use informal dispositions such as calming them down or taking them home , in 12% of the cases it was discovered that police transported them to another jurisdiction and dumped them (Gaines, 2008, p. 267). This is illegal and unethical.
Inmates with mental illness are at increased risk of sexual victimization. America’s jails and prisons house more mentally ill individuals than all of the Nation’s psychiatric hospitals combined. As many as 16 percent of inmates in State prisons and jails, and 7 percent of Federal inmates, suffer from mental illness (Public Law 108-79-SEPT. 4, 2003, 2003).
Police agencies can build a relationship with this group of disenfranchised citizens by using a cautious and compassionate approach. With the knowledge that a mentally ill citizen can become victimized in prisons it is especially important to go the distance to help them receive attention from the right resources where they can receive proper treatment. Mentally ill citizens who receive treatment compared with mentally ill citizens who did not receive proper treatment reduced future arrest probity to 12 percent versus 45 percent (Siegel, Criminology, 2009, p. 141).
There is a growing understanding of this population that has led to the creation of Mental Health Courts. (Siegel, Courts and Criminal Justice in America, 2011, p. 158). Participation in this court is voluntary and is reserved for low level crime (Siegel, Courts and Criminal Justice in America, 2011, p. 158). These courts are intended to bring together the justice system and mental health agencies to get help for the mentally ill offender. Departmental education on identification of mental illness and education on proper techniques used to help the mentally ill police interactions would greatly improve the relationship with this disenfranchised population. When mental illness is identified or suspect police have a duty to see that the citizen receives avenues to resources where they can get treatment, not charges and jail or dismissive discretion.

Bibliography
Public Law 108-79-SEPT. 4, 2003. (2003, SEPT. 4). Retrieved September 20, 2011, from Public Law: http://www.justdetention.org/pdf/PREA.pdf
Bartollas, C. M. (2008). Juvenile Justice in America (6th ed.). (V. Anthony, Ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, U.S.A.: Pearson Education Inc.
Gaines, L. (2008). Policing in America (6 ed.). Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A.: Matthew Bender and Company.
Regoli, R. (2008). Exploring Criminal Justice. Sudbury, MA: Jonesand Bartlett.
Samaha, J. (2011). Criminal Law (10th ed.). (C. Meier, Ed.) Belmont, CA, U.S.A.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Siegel, L. (2009). Criminology. In L. Siegel, Criminology (pp. 388-389). Belmont, CA, U.S.A.: Wadsworth.
Siegel, L. (2011). Courts and Criminal Justice in America. (V. Anthony, Ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA: Pearson Education, Inc.