Deinstitutionalization: A Pathway to Criminalizing Emotionally Disturbed Persons Deinstitutionalization is another factor which is responsible for the increased number of mentally ill individuals in the community. In the past, persons with mental illnesses were institutionalized in a long term psychiatric health facility. In the 1960s, new policy was introduced; deinstitutionalization. This policy was built upon the principle that mentally ill individuals should not be caged like criminals and should be integrated into the community. The care should be community oriented in which the mentally ill individuals have the ability to be with family and friends and new community-based treatment to replace in-house psychiatric care (Riordan, 2004).
…show more content…
While there are some effective community based services in place, but due to a lack of funding and resources the care is short-term and does not accommodate the needs of the mentally ill individuals (Kara). After the brief intervention, the mentally ill individuals are released into the community with little to no improvement to their conditions. It is possible that as time progresses their conditions worsen and they end up being homeless and as a result into frequent contact with the police, this is referred to as the ‘revolving-door phenomenon’ (Riordan, 2004). The effects of deinstitutionalization are apparent in the case of Michael Eligon which led him to interact with the …show more content…
The change in role of the police has mainly been to the front line and patrol officers in the departments. The added responsibility is mainly due to shrinking and limitation in other public sectors. These areas include; social services (specifically mental health), emergency response services and the medical sector. This trends shows a resemblance to a trend which existed a century ago in policing culture. In the article by Greg Marquis, “The Police as a Social Service in Early 20th Century Toronto” published in 1992 outlines the many different roles that police played in the early 20th century. Some of the responsibilities of the police in the past included; managing of the morality department, acting as a mediator in domestic quarrels, police stations serving as a temporary shelter for the homeless and unfortunate and protection of private property. Although they were known to have “the most varied and sensitive duties” (Weaver, 1990, Pg. 114) out of all professionals but were least trained and informed about their profession. This was primarily due to the sheer number of responsibilities assigned to
While there are some effective community based services in place, but due to a lack of funding and resources the care is short-term and does not accommodate the needs of the mentally ill individuals (Kara). After the brief intervention, the mentally ill individuals are released into the community with little to no improvement to their conditions. It is possible that as time progresses their conditions worsen and they end up being homeless and as a result into frequent contact with the police, this is referred to as the ‘revolving-door phenomenon’ (Riordan, 2004). The effects of deinstitutionalization are apparent in the case of Michael Eligon which led him to interact with the …show more content…
The change in role of the police has mainly been to the front line and patrol officers in the departments. The added responsibility is mainly due to shrinking and limitation in other public sectors. These areas include; social services (specifically mental health), emergency response services and the medical sector. This trends shows a resemblance to a trend which existed a century ago in policing culture. In the article by Greg Marquis, “The Police as a Social Service in Early 20th Century Toronto” published in 1992 outlines the many different roles that police played in the early 20th century. Some of the responsibilities of the police in the past included; managing of the morality department, acting as a mediator in domestic quarrels, police stations serving as a temporary shelter for the homeless and unfortunate and protection of private property. Although they were known to have “the most varied and sensitive duties” (Weaver, 1990, Pg. 114) out of all professionals but were least trained and informed about their profession. This was primarily due to the sheer number of responsibilities assigned to