Comparing The Interaction Between The Mentally Ill And The Criminal Justice System

Perhaps the most complicated consequence of the interaction between the mentally ill and the criminal justice system is the reality of incarceration. Unfortunately, it is too often the case where a person with schizophrenia is convicted of a crime and incarcerated, but as a result of their mental illness negatively impacting their trial. This was the case of Theodore Kaczynski, a man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and accused of sending bombs through the mail. Kaczynski “continued to tell the judge and his lawyers that he did not want to be labeled mentally ill” and thus his lawyer could not use a defense of mental illness (Reisner et al, 87). Subsequently, Kaczynski was sentenced to life without parole. This case exemplifies how the
In this respect, the rights of those dealing with mental illnesses, specifically schizophrenia, can be under major scrutiny. The balance between protecting the civil liberties of individuals while maintaining the wellbeing of society as a whole becomes distorted when the issue of schizophrenia is factored into the equation. A large part of this lack of clarity can be attributed to the ignorance surrounding the disease itself. In society, “schizophrenia is one of the most serious and frightening of all mental illnesses. No other disorder arouses as much anxiety in the general public, the media, and doctors” (Picchioni & Murray, 91). The struggle for schizophrenic patients does not stop at their symptoms, but expands to the entire community because they are misunderstood and underrepresented. Schizophrenia remains one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose and treat. As a result, those left undiagnosed or left without treatment may be arrested simply for behaviors due to the illness itself. This occurrence is extremely detrimental to schizophrenics, as jail is not a proper place for treatment. Perhaps if the public were more informed of the treatments available to the mentally ill as well as the myths encompassing these individuals, then the stigma of schizophrenia might disappear. Accomplishing this feat would not be easy, as the relatively little known about schizophrenia is under contention. However, the mass of society does not need to know the role of genetics and environment in causing the disease, but rather its treatments, manifestations, and outlooks. Only with combination of understanding and knowledge can humanity begin to bridge this gap between the rights of schizophrenic patients and the safety of the