Abstract
This literature review focuses on the correlation of mental disorders and criminal behavior. The main question that will be discussed is whether people with mental illnesses are more likely to commit crimes than those who do not suffer from mental illness. This paper will evaluate society’s unfamiliarity of mental illness and how this created a stigma on mental disorder. The literature reviewed provides argument that people with mental disorders are no more prone to commit crimes than people without mental illness. “Research has shown that the vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).”
The term mental illness is defined as a disease that causes …show more content…
When the news media reports of mass shootings it is common to have psychiatric history revealed. This causes the public to seek and anticipate mental disorders that would explain criminal acts. There are numerous stigmas that have been created regarding the mentally ill, in relation to violence and crime. According to Taylor Kubota referencing the article Misconceptions About Mental Illness, in Health and Fitness Magazine, several misconceptions about mental illness are noted. One of the myths is that people with mental illness cannot contribute to society. In reality, there are many individuals who have made great contributions to society while living with a mental illness, including President Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt (Kubota). Heather Stuart states that studies show that heavy exposure to media images of mental illness not only cultivates misinformation about crime and misconceptions about those who commit crimes, but also engenders intolerance toward people with mental illnesses and negatively influences the way in which the public evaluates mental health issues. The news of killing by someone with a mental disorder is multiplied by the number of times it is reported over television, radio and cyberspace, giving the mistaken impression that violence among the mentally ill is a frequent and recurring event. Public fear and rejection of the mentally ill increases, and stereotypes are
This literature review focuses on the correlation of mental disorders and criminal behavior. The main question that will be discussed is whether people with mental illnesses are more likely to commit crimes than those who do not suffer from mental illness. This paper will evaluate society’s unfamiliarity of mental illness and how this created a stigma on mental disorder. The literature reviewed provides argument that people with mental disorders are no more prone to commit crimes than people without mental illness. “Research has shown that the vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).”
The term mental illness is defined as a disease that causes …show more content…
When the news media reports of mass shootings it is common to have psychiatric history revealed. This causes the public to seek and anticipate mental disorders that would explain criminal acts. There are numerous stigmas that have been created regarding the mentally ill, in relation to violence and crime. According to Taylor Kubota referencing the article Misconceptions About Mental Illness, in Health and Fitness Magazine, several misconceptions about mental illness are noted. One of the myths is that people with mental illness cannot contribute to society. In reality, there are many individuals who have made great contributions to society while living with a mental illness, including President Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt (Kubota). Heather Stuart states that studies show that heavy exposure to media images of mental illness not only cultivates misinformation about crime and misconceptions about those who commit crimes, but also engenders intolerance toward people with mental illnesses and negatively influences the way in which the public evaluates mental health issues. The news of killing by someone with a mental disorder is multiplied by the number of times it is reported over television, radio and cyberspace, giving the mistaken impression that violence among the mentally ill is a frequent and recurring event. Public fear and rejection of the mentally ill increases, and stereotypes are