In today’s society people with mental illnesses are seen as “crazy” or unstable to live a life among “normal” people. There are just as many mentally ill people as there are “sane” people. This seems to be the only way to keep our communities safe from danger in our world today. Between two and four million individuals are severely mentally ill in the United States...(Steinwachs).Instead of trying to lend a helping hand to conduct research and try to get a solution to the problems that the mentally ill face, people rather judge and lock them up in insane asylums and prison bars. This is simply not true, in my eyes this is just quick way to not have to deal with the mentally ill. Even though a person is mentally ill that does not make them any less of a human. They are just people who unfortunately have a problem that not enough people care to fix. In Maryland there are many stories in the news about someone being put in jail or prison. Of course it could be a range of reasons why that person has now become incarcerated. These reasons could include: murder, rape, assault, violating probation, drinking while driving, possession of drugs or even contempt of court. These are only a few out of the many reasons as to why people become incarcerated. Upon the actions just mentioned there seems to be something that causes a person to do these acts which get them in trouble. The big question that is asked after the act of crime has been done is why. Sometimes the actions can be based off of revenge, anger or simply out of desperation. Many different view points of others are given out as to why a person would do such a thing. Some may say the person was evil and has no feeling, or some may say they are a very troubled person who needs guidance. There is an old saying that i grew up hearing a lot when I was younger. if someone did something very bad that got them in a lot of trouble I would hear “Something is not right in his/her head’ or “They got some screws loose”. Unfortunately sometimes those sayings were the truth. When people commit crimes is it not always based on a person being evil but simply having a mental illness. Upon doing research I have found a few resources that I found to be interesting and very insightful as to how Maryland deals with offenders with mental illnesses. In the article “Care of the Mentally Ill in Prisons: Challenges and Solutions by: Anasseril E. Daniel, speaks on how what kind of treatments could help mental ill patients that have become incarcerated. Daniel states that: “Offenders with an established history of drug or alcohol abuse should be treated with anti-craving and relapse-prevention medications two to four weeks before release, and the medication regimen should be continued 30 to 60 days after release” (Daniel). I feel that this is a wonderful start to a smooth recovery. Not only do these medications help to prevent relapse but allows an even greater chance for the patient to recover.
I feel in order for a person to have a "successful" release from prison with a mental illness they should have to complete certain programs while incarcerated. These programs could be very useful and helpful. Even though they do have a mental illness having someone work with them to help them stay positive could work wonders. I do know in some cases this is not possible due to how bad the illness is or the possibilities of relapse. After a person with a mental illness is released from prison, helpful resources should still be available at any time. The reason that Recidivism is at a high with offenders with a mental illness is because with any type of serious "mental" illness whether it be schizophrenia or MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder) in the minds of the person with that disorder they do not see causing an uproar or doing a crime repeatedly as anything wrong but they are simply doing what their mind tells them and they go along with it. If the
Mental illness has become an epidemic today. Penitentiaries and prisons have turned into the ultimate destination for those with painstaking mental or severe emotional impairment. There is widespread acknowledgement that people with severe mental illnesses should ideally be cared for by public health services or equivalent psychiatric facilities (and therefore diverted out of the criminal justice system as noted by the (Department of Health and Home Office, 1992; Department of Health, 1999) Unfortunately…
English 1102 October 28, 2011 Learn From Past Mistakes In today’s society there is a lot more constructive time and effort put forth to study the immense variety of mental illnesses doctors are aware of and even those yet to be discovered than there was only seventy years ago. There are several classifications and degrees of competence and incompetence when it comes to diseases of the mind. There are not only institutions for individuals considered to have severe cases of mental illness that…
"Nowhere to Run" Social Stigma of Mental Health Disorders More and more of us every day are diagnosed with different types of illnesses. It's been said that close to 50 million Americans will suffer from a mental disorder at any given time in their life. More disturbing is that only about a quarter of them will seek medical attention. Very often people are reluctant to talk about mental illness. It's imperative that people stop to take the time to learn about the facts of mental illness and to…
material trials and tribulations. However, the mental effects are just as important, affecting the mind that is ultimately the powerhouse and control center for the body. Being mentally ill does not occur as a result of being homeless. Mental illness may just be more prominent among the homeless. Most people are mentally ill before they become homeless and are affected by their respective symptoms before they're out on the streets. Oftentimes as a result of their mental illness they are unable to keep…
Whitney Leverette Professor Ryan Jenkins English 101 5 December 2011 The Understanding of Schizophrenia People often like to discriminate against schizophrenics. When people hear the word schizophrenia, they automatically assume “crazy, psycho, or out of their mind!” Yes, these sick people can be crazy but so can any other normal person. Yes, they can be psycho but so can others when they are not in their right state of mind or very angry. Yes, they are usually out of their mind but…
illness cannot function normally in society and needs to be locked up in an institution. It is often forgotten that mental illnesses are in fact, actual medical conditions and not just a word used to label crazy people. Some mental illnesses that people have stigmas about are Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia. In actuality people with mental illnesses can hold jobs, have families, and lead productively lives once treated properly (Fisher & Ahern). Obsessive Compulsive…
through the rest of their life suffering. I believe that high-quality end-of-life care should be by choice for terminally ill, mentally competent adults who feel they’re suffering has become unbearable and want to pass away in a way that they feel is right for them. Euthanasia is illegal in Australia, but was legal for a period in the Northern Territory. The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 legalized euthanasia in Australia’s Northern Territory. It passed by a vote of 15 to 10 and a year later, a…
The unbelievable country of America is home of the free and land of the brave. In spite of this, America’s imprisonment rate is at a far higher rate than any other industrial democracy. In 2005 about nine million prisoners were imprisoned in the world, and of this more than two million were being held in U.S. prisons. Our prison system spends more than $30 billon annually. The money is spent toward several items such as food, medical care, personnel, modernized handcuffs, specialized toilets to prevent…
was considered a “mercy killing,” a bringing about death to a sufferer. However, this action initially focused on newborns and young children; with the lack of medical advancements and technologies it was difficult for a child’s body to fight off illnesses on their own without the proper medication. Today, euthanasia and physician –assisted suicide (PAS) is a worldwide social issue. The idea of “playing God” to relieve a person of their illness through these actions is an issue that is accompanied…
person loses their income which can affect their sanitation and personal hygiene. An individual may experience anxiety and depression, but they can also acquire physical illnesses like hypertension and in major cases heart disease and diabetes. As Hurricane Sandy ripped through the East Coast countless people lost their jobs and had to face these results head on. Hurricane Sandy put many people out of a job, cutting off their income and killing their food supply. The sanitation of the people in…
