Paper Summary:

This paper examines the treatment of inmates with mental illnesses in U.S prisons. The author provides a history of the challenges of effectively treating individuals suffering from mental illnesses and discusses the possible causes of mental illnesses. The paper looks at the problem of the existence of mental illnesses in already overcrowded prisons and advocates that to reduce crime rate, the provision of effective treatment for those already incarcerated will be necessary. The author then discusses best practices to identify and treat the individuals with mental illnesses.

From the Paper:

"The ancient cultures of the Chinese, Egyptians and Hebrews all considered mental illness to be due to the forces of evil spirits or demons. Unfortunate events such as bad weather and physical illnesses were blamed on the presence of those considered to be evil or possessed, and often these individuals suffered greatly due to the beliefs concerning how they were impacting the lives of others. The first introduction of viewing these individuals as somehow physically ill through a medical model occurred during the time of the Greeks around 600 -500 B.C.E. Philosophers such as Aristotle lay the groundwork for the future study of psychology and the human mind."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Conklin, J.E. (1998). Criminology. 6th Ed. New York: Allyn & Bacon.
• Fishbein, D.H. & Thatcher, R.W. (1986). New Diagnostic Methods IN Criminology: Assessing Organic Sources of Behavioral Disorders. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 23 August 1986, 240-267.
• Gillard, D.K. & Beck, A.J. (1996). Prison and Jail Inmates, 1995. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, August 1996.
• Nietzel, Speltz, McCauley & Bernstein. (1998). Abnormal Psychology. New York: Allyn & Bacon.
• Pollock, V., Mednick, S.A., & Gabrielli, W.E. (1983). Biological Theories. In Sanford H. Kadish, ed., Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice, Vol.1.New York: Free Press, 1983, 308-315.

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