Commentary on mental health poster
This commentary will critically examine the way that mental health has for centuries arguably been associated with crime. It is evident that on occasions individuals are subject to discrimination because of their mental health issues and are often labelled as more likely to participate in criminal behaviour, particularly when it involves violent or aggressive acts. This commentary will also examine the way the media and television are thought to strongly influence the public’s view on the mentally disordered population. It will also look at how individuals with mental health issues are perceived by the public and treated in society. Additionally this commentary will consider the evidence that shows occasionally …show more content…
Jones (2013) argues that crime may be considered a symptom of mental disorder and has in the past been widely discussed. However that statement can be questioned in the sense that many of the population may have committed some form of crime in their lives; does this then suggest that a large quantity of the population has some form of mental disorder. Silver et al. (2008) (cited in criminology) states that earlier studies showed a lack of correlation between violent crimes and mental disorder. However more recent studies have discovered that people with mental disorders are proven to be more likely to commit violent crimes than those without. With that being said Silver et al. (2008) (cited in criminology) also proposes that the link between mental health and crime is difficult to determine as it can be argued as invalid because of the likelihood that the initial life triggers for violent behaviour and mental health disorders are much the same in most cases. Jones (2013) suggests a link has been found between individuals who are mentally ill and the likelihood of arrest which was shown in an American study Teplin (1984, 1985) (cited in criminology) observed 1,382 police confrontations with the public and a total of 506 were questionable of committing a crime, thirty of those people showed signs of mental disorders and were more often arrested. This may be because they were arguably more hostile towards the police. Jones (2013) highlights however this does not show that those with a mental disorder are more inclined to criminal behaviour. Taylor and Gunn (1999) (cited in the Oxford handbook of criminology)
This commentary will critically examine the way that mental health has for centuries arguably been associated with crime. It is evident that on occasions individuals are subject to discrimination because of their mental health issues and are often labelled as more likely to participate in criminal behaviour, particularly when it involves violent or aggressive acts. This commentary will also examine the way the media and television are thought to strongly influence the public’s view on the mentally disordered population. It will also look at how individuals with mental health issues are perceived by the public and treated in society. Additionally this commentary will consider the evidence that shows occasionally …show more content…
Jones (2013) argues that crime may be considered a symptom of mental disorder and has in the past been widely discussed. However that statement can be questioned in the sense that many of the population may have committed some form of crime in their lives; does this then suggest that a large quantity of the population has some form of mental disorder. Silver et al. (2008) (cited in criminology) states that earlier studies showed a lack of correlation between violent crimes and mental disorder. However more recent studies have discovered that people with mental disorders are proven to be more likely to commit violent crimes than those without. With that being said Silver et al. (2008) (cited in criminology) also proposes that the link between mental health and crime is difficult to determine as it can be argued as invalid because of the likelihood that the initial life triggers for violent behaviour and mental health disorders are much the same in most cases. Jones (2013) suggests a link has been found between individuals who are mentally ill and the likelihood of arrest which was shown in an American study Teplin (1984, 1985) (cited in criminology) observed 1,382 police confrontations with the public and a total of 506 were questionable of committing a crime, thirty of those people showed signs of mental disorders and were more often arrested. This may be because they were arguably more hostile towards the police. Jones (2013) highlights however this does not show that those with a mental disorder are more inclined to criminal behaviour. Taylor and Gunn (1999) (cited in the Oxford handbook of criminology)