Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System - Coggle Diagram
Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System
Discrimination against mentally ill in the court system
The way that mentally ill people are mistreated within the court system is evidence for injustice and mistreatment within a system that is supposed to embody honesty and justice
mental health courts in order to effectively reduce recidivism and keep low‐level offenders out of jail and prison
commonly coerced into pleading guilty and will be faced with a harsh sentence
More rapid trials so as to reduce time in jail without being found guilty of a crime
Improved post-arrest pre-trial procedures emphasizing diversion from jail through bail reform and treatment alternatives to incarceration
biases toward mental disorders may affect judges' views regarding the sentencing and punishment
Willie Boskett example from
All God's Children
Courtroom 302
story of Tyler Cameron
Problematic police interactions
police interactions should matter to others because the interactions between police and mentally ill individuals are just one of the many interactions that are problematic.
stigmas may cause different treatment for people with mental illness by police officers
excessive force used
police take mentally ill straight to jail, instead they could take they to treatment centers or community centers
police interactions should matter to others because the interactions between police and mentally ill individuals are just one of the many interactions that are problematic.
Why this issue is important
big-picture point of view on the criminal justice system and how mentally ill people are widely neglected.
I think it is important that someone stands up for these people because some may not be able to stand up for themselves.
I want to bring awareness to this issue and be able to share it with others in an organized way
Society often sees mentally ill people as lesser, and the criminal justice system portrays that.
This is a matter of human life and I think that it deserves more attention than it gets.
I think that this project will teach others about some of the processes of the criminal justice system that should not be overlooked and need to be reformed. I hope to portray the gravity of this issue and call others to action.
It is important to pay attention to all three of these aspects (police interactions, conditions within jail and prisons, and injustice in the court system) because they are generally hidden from the public eye.
This is a matter of human life and I think that it deserves more attention than it gets.
Detrimental prison and jail conditions
conditions in jail/prison often lead to more time spent in prison or return later on
jails/prisons do not provide adequate treatment and support for mentally ill
inhumane elements like solitary confinement
350,000-500,000 people with serious mental illness are in jails and prisons in the U.S.
prison guards and staff more violent with mentally ill people, as they might not be able to follow instructions thoroughly
I have read a few books in my criminology class that have provided me a first-person perspective on what goes on behind the scenes of a court room and a prison.
We need to advocate for mentally ill people because some may not be able to advocate for themselves because of their illness or because they are stuck in prison.
If the wellbeing of mentally ill people is not enough to convince people how important it is to fix the conditions in jails or prisons, they might consider that they will pay more in taxes as a result of these conditions.
Solutions
leading mentally ill people to the help that they need will keep them off of the streets and provide better communities for everyone.
I will bring in multiple peoples' perspectives mostly on how to repair the criminal justice system
This issue will continue to affect all of us. We have to pay for our inmates to be incarcerated through taxes. Helping divert mentally ill inmates from prison to treatment facilities or community programs will help drive the number of inmates down and help keep mentally ill people from returning to prison.
Community-based alternatives to incarceration in high-security prisons such as half-way houses designed for people with serious mental illness
Elimination of inhumane elements of incarceration such as solitary confinement
Improved post-arrest pre-trial procedures emphasizing diversion from jail through bail reform and treatment alternatives to incarceration
Improved interaction between the police and people with serious mental illness at times of crisis
focus on recidivism
Norway's prisons are a good example
Miscellany
I want to use my knowledge to make a positive impact on the criminal justice system. I truly want to go into a career that combines my love for psychology and law, and I think that this topic is a great way to pave the way for that.
I want to continue to address this issue in my career in the future