Criminal Behavior or Mental Illness?
Forensic psychologist are asked this question on a daily basis, but this a highly specialized field of psychology. Although mental health professionals in general frequently struggle with the considerations of whether a person's behavior is due to a mental illness or criminal antisocial behavior and once the etiology is determined; what is the appropriate action? Incarceration? Treatment? Both?
Because a person has a mental illness does that mean that the person is not responsible for their behavior? The State of Michigan started a jail diversion program several years ago that they have been trying to improve and implement successfully over the years. It's an effort to try and define who the mentally ill are in the correctional system, provide treatment or divert them from the correction facility to treatment entirely. Public mental health professionals are confronted with this question on almost a daily basis. We and our colleagues are asked to provide evaluations for the court system. We are asked to assess the needs of the person, determine the etiology of the person’s behaviors and what is most appropriate or medically necessary for the person. This is not an easy population to work with. We have found that if someone is so impaired in their ability to function and care for themselves due to a mental illness they may require immediate psychiatric intervention. A jail liaison can be very beneficial in assisting to provide mental health care to inmates who are incarcerated. Inmates can serve their time and receive the treatment they need at the same time.
By definition, antisocial personalities tend to view others as the problem, they often manipulate others to get what they want, they are cunning, etc. and they may make assessment difficult as they will frequently present certain behaviors and attitudes in order to get out of their court consequences. It is a difficult dilemma but the longer a mental health professional works in the field the more adept they become at picking out the subtle details during an assessment and are able to determine the appropriate course of action.
Because a person has a mental illness does that mean that the person is not responsible for their behavior? The State of Michigan started a jail diversion program several years ago that they have been trying to improve and implement successfully over the years. It's an effort to try and define who the mentally ill are in the correctional system, provide treatment or divert them from the correction facility to treatment entirely. Public mental health professionals are confronted with this question on almost a daily basis. We and our colleagues are asked to provide evaluations for the court system. We are asked to assess the needs of the person, determine the etiology of the person’s behaviors and what is most appropriate or medically necessary for the person. This is not an easy population to work with. We have found that if someone is so impaired in their ability to function and care for themselves due to a mental illness they may require immediate psychiatric intervention. A jail liaison can be very beneficial in assisting to provide mental health care to inmates who are incarcerated. Inmates can serve their time and receive the treatment they need at the same time.
By definition, antisocial personalities tend to view others as the problem, they often manipulate others to get what they want, they are cunning, etc. and they may make assessment difficult as they will frequently present certain behaviors and attitudes in order to get out of their court consequences. It is a difficult dilemma but the longer a mental health professional works in the field the more adept they become at picking out the subtle details during an assessment and are able to determine the appropriate course of action.
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