For any society dealing with criminals is the biggest challenge. It is because there is no limit to criminal activities. While older criminals are waiting for a sentence, new criminals emerge. It is not easy for the judicial system to decide how to judge criminals. Many factors need studying, including their mental health. However, the question arises are all criminals suffering from mental disorders. If so, what does that mean for the law and order system?
Mentally ill criminals cannot be treated the same way as regular criminals. They need unique accommodation such as a cell away from other intimates, which includes getting medication on time and therapy to make a full recovery. Some of them aren’t even fit to stand for trial since their condition prevents them from being cognitive and coherent. However, how deep does this relationship run? Here’s all you need to know about criminals and mental disorders:
1. Mental Disorders Have a Variety
Mental disorders occupy a spectrum. Some diseases such as ADHD are manageable and allow the person to lead a regular life. However, some personality disorders and bipolar disorders can cause a person to blackout without recollection of what they did. In disorders where a person has switched identities, they may have committed a crime. In contrast, their alter ego had made an appearance. A forensic professional may understand the symptoms and conditions of each mental disorder.
The demand for these professionals is increasing rapidly. That is the reason many individuals are attracting to this field. Aspirants can opt for forensic psychology degree online to develop the skills and experience to blend psychology and criminal justice. Through online education, it’s easy for working professionals to work and study simultaneously.
2. Crimes Can Happen at Any Age
Some mental disorders such as schizophrenia make appearances at the ages of 15-35. So the criminal may have been involved in criminal activities before coming down with an illness. In such cases, it is essential to find when the criminal started committing crimes and a pattern between the crimes committed. In most cases, mentally ill patients have a pattern to the kind of crimes they commit. For instance, if they commit sexual violence, their victims usually have similar height, age, and features.
3. Not All Crimes Are Sexual
While it is a common assumption that mentally ill criminals commit most sex crimes, that is not the case. Some criminals who have signs and symptoms of mental disorders commit crimes such as theft, homicide, and public misconduct. TIt suggests that there is a ratio of sex offenders who committed the act while coherent and cognitive. So the judiciary cannot pinpoint all sex offending cases on mentally ill criminals. It also suggests that there is a distinction between illness and mental disorders. Some criminals commit crimes because they don’t know what they’re doing.
4. The Cause Has Nothing to Do with Illness
In some cases, the cause of crime has nothing to do with a mental illness. Some criminals do it out of societal issues such as unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. In these cases, criminals are fit to stand for trial. Their case is deduced according to the extent of crime. Some criminals are victims of racism and are unfairly tried. Racial profiling is an issue that the judiciary system needs to look into its internal system. These crimes have nothing to do with mental illness but are more circumstantial.
5. Mental Illness Is Not Always a Hindrance
When a criminal stands trial, it is essential to judge how extensive the crimes go. Suppose they are done in a cold and calculative manner while harming several people. In that case, the court must decide how to judge the criminal. In some cases, their mental illness is not an obstacle but a catalyst to help them commit crimes. For example, criminals with high running sociopathy may have high functioning intelligence.
On the other hand, their lack of morals makes it easier for them to commit these crimes. In such cases, it boils down to the psychological angle of the chance to decide how this criminal should be tried. Unfortunately, disorders such as sociopathy generally don’t have a cure.
What Can the Law and Order System Do for Mentally Ill Criminals?
Before a court case can proceed with a case, there needs to be an evaluation done to make sure the criminal is coherent. A forensic psychiatrist is most suitable to carry these tests out. They can range from case scenarios, Rorschach images, asking the criminal details of the case and how they felt in each situation. The final test is a lie detector test to ensure that the criminal is not lying to please authorities and get out of incarceration.
Suppose a criminal is proven to be mentally ill. In that case, the forensic psychiatrist is at complete liberty to pull them from the trial. It is because their testimony cannot be considered valid, and these criminals are institutionalized immediately. While they are institutionalized, they need to get treatment to help them cope with their illness. In such cases, the psychiatrist can:
Connect them with a counselor so that they can understand their condition. If the counselor and the inmate click, there may be chances to administer treatment and make them serve time accordingly. Counseling can also help the judiciary system recognize if the inmate can ever recover or the condition cannot be treated. In such cases, the state must decide whether to keep them in prison or put them into a mental institution.
Wrap Up
It is a tricky position to be in a while trying to hold mentally ill patients accountable. In some cases, the mental disorders and crimes do not correlate, and the cause of these criminal activities are detailed. The law and order system needs to deeply gauge each case to understand how severe mental disorders run with illegal activities. Mental disorders fall in a spectrum; some are manageable, while some need institutionalization. Criminals may not always be motivated by their disorder and commit crimes early. There are also common misconceptions, such as that most sexual offenders are mentally ill. In conclusion, while mental illness may be the cause of criminal activity, they are not always the leading reason.