PSYC3263 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Murder 2, Dual Role, Arson
26 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
1
Mental Health Issues
in Criminal Behaviour
M
ENTAL
I
LLNESS
& A
NTISOCIAL
B
EHAVIOUR
Serious mental illness is more prevalent
in offender populations (5-15%) than the
general population (2-3%).
• Personality Disorders – Cluster A & B
• Substance Abuse
• Mood Disorders - Major Depression & Bipolar Disorder
• Anxiety Disorders
• Psychosis
• Cognitive Dysfunction - Intellectual disability & Brain
Damage
The Revolving Door
Index Offence
- Arrest
- Court
Sent to Custody
- Harassment/Abuse
- Symptoms & Suicide Risk
Released back
into Community
Limited
Community
Resources
Higher Risk of Survival
and Nuisance Crimes
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
2
S
YSTEM
F
ACTORS THAT
I
MPACT
M
ENTALLY
I
LL
P
ERSONS
• More likely to be arrested than non-mentally ill
offenders
• Tend to serve more time in custody than non-mentally
ill offenders
• As, or less, likely to re-offend as non-mentally ill
offenders, but usually do so via breaches and minor
offences when it occurs
• Limited resources in correctional institutions, and in
community to address criminogenic + mental health
needs
• More likely to be victimized
Challenges:
H
ISTORICAL
T
REATMENT OF THE
M
ENTALLY
I
LL WITHIN THE
C
RIMINAL
C
ODE OF
C
ANADA
• Lieutenant Governor’s Warrant system
• “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity” meant person
could be held for an indefinite amount of time
1892 – 1992
• Supreme Court ruled that Lieutenant Governor’s
Warrant System was in conflict with Charter of
Rights & Freedoms
1991
R. vs. Swain
• “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity” changed to “Not
Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental
Disorder” (NCRMD)
1992
Bill C-30
• Amendments to Bill C-30
2005
Bill C-10
Realities of Crime & Mental Illness
Fisher et al. (2006)
• 28% of MI persons in the general
population engage in crime
• Most commit minor/public
disorder crimes (= 16.1% of MI
general population).
• e.g., cannabis possession,
mischief, shoplifting,
panhandling
• A minority commit serious
crimes (= 13.6% of MI general
population)
• e.g., robbery, arson, assaults,
sexual offences, murder
Fisher et al. (2011)
• Relative to the general
population, greatest risk among
serious MI persons was for assault
on police officer, and
misdemeanor crimes against
person/property and public
decency
• Risk of serious crimes was lower
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
3
H
ETEROGENEITY IN
O
FFENDING
P
ATTERNS IN
P
ERSONS WITH
M
ENTAL
I
LLNESS
(MI)
Hiday & Burns (2010) – review of criminal behaviour in mentally ill
offenders - 5 Profiles:
Misdemeanor/S
ummary/Nuisan
ce offences
(e.g., pan
handling, public
urination)
Survival
behaviours
(e.g., theft of
necessities)
Substance
abuse-related
crime (e.g.,
possession,
crimes to
support the
habit)
MI + Personality disorder
(esp. APD) driven crime
(i.e., high rates of crime
and use of violence)
Violence directly associated
with psychotic processes
M
ENTAL
I
LLNESS
& V
IOLENCE
Approximately 55% of
offenders with
psychiatric diagnoses
(including APD &
substance abuse)
commit acts of violence,
compared to 16% of
those without such
diagnoses
However, it is often not
the disorder that drives
the violence
• Criminality often
precedes the onset of
mental illness, rather
than causes it
• Of the mental
disorders, substance
abuse is most strongly
tied to future violence
H
ETEROGENEITY IN
O
FFENDING
P
ATTERNS
A
MONG
MI P
ERSONS
Constantine et al. (2010)
– followed serious MI
offenders for 4 years in
the U.S.:
Low rate, but chronic
arrest group – 82%
• Mdn = 4 arrests per year;
32% female
A sporadic arrest
group – 9%
• Mdn = 2 arrests per
year; 59% female
High rate, chronic arrest
group – 5%
• Mdn = 14 arrests per year;
30% female
• accounted for 17% of all
arrests
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Historical treatment of the mentally ill within the. 1991 (cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1) r. vs. swain: lieutenant governor"s warrant system, not guilty by reason of insanity meant person could be held for an indefinite amount of time, supreme court ruled that lieutenant governor"s. Warrant system was in conflict with charter of. 1992 (cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1) bill c-30: not guilty by reason of insanity changed to not. 2005 (cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1) bill c-10: amendments to bill c-30. Fisher et al. (2011: relative to the general population, greatest risk among serious mi persons was for assault on police officer, and misdemeanor crimes against person/property and public decency, risk of serious crimes was lower. Hiday & burns (2010) review of criminal behaviour in mentally ill offenders - 5 profiles: Misdemeanor/s ummary/nuisan ce offences (e. g. , pan handling, public urination) Substance abuse-related crime (e. g. , possession, crimes to support the habit) Apd) driven crime (i. e. , high rates of crime and use of violence)
