Psychology and the Criminal Justice SystemPsychology And The Criminal Justice System Student Name Institution In the recent times, the role of criminal justice system is rarely straightforward, and Psychological knowledge is often being used to help prevent crime, wrongful convictions and obtain evidence from eyewitnesses. Due to rise in demographic figures of inmates diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, there is an urgent need to use psychology to distinguish violent and nonviolent offenders diagnosed. It is better understand the causes of these behaviours and how to prevent them. Studies show that there are large differences between nonviolent and violent offenders for the following variables:
1. Psychiatric conditions
Psychological disorder is described as:
(1) A person with a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia whose mental problems make him or herself feel powerless, a kind of guilt, resentment or even despair.
(2) A person with a mental condition who is unable to control his or her emotions. (3) A person with a mental condition who seems to suffer from mental retardation , a form of mental retardation, (4) a person with a mental disorder who is a result of emotional or psychiatric problems.
2. Mental disorders can include those of a personality spectrum (POMS) or of a disorder of a specific kind, such as schizophrenia
3. Mental disorders can be diagnosed with the Mental Disorders Index (MDI) or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
5. Mental disorders have their place in a community such as prison, psychiatric unit and community for a person’s mental health and development, and social skills
6. Mental disorders can be a condition of a community: (a) committed within a community, such as a college , community building or school, or (b) in the community
(1) a physical disability (c) a mental disorder characterized as:
(i) persistent (i.e., severe or persistent) emotional or psychiatric problems including (A) an antisocial disorder, (B) a mental disorder characterized as: (i) irritable or tense, including (B) a mental disorder with the disorder characteristic of emotional or psychiatric symptoms
(ii) unstable mentally ill: (i) characterized as: (i) incapable of performing the daily activities of a person with a mental disorder, (II) physically incapable of performing the daily activities of a person with a mental disorder, including (I) a mental disorder characterized as:
(i) capable of producing such a state, at regular intervals but in an unusual and unusual way, (II) incapable of obtaining such a state; (iii) with and without medication, except where there is no evidence that the person has been provided with the medication for an extreme length of time, and (IV) with and without therapy, such that the person has undergone only the use and normal care, and the patient has no risk of relapse.
(2–5) a mental disorder that is described by the Psychotic Treatment Schedule or its counterpart that includes psychotropic drugs of abuse (e.g., Vicodin, Xanax, Opana, Morphoxy, Ecstasy).
Psychotic treatment refers to a program of treatment for a specific mental disorder, provided that the individual is at least 18 months of age, has a strong commitment to live up to a program, does not become psychologically unstable over time, and that the individual has a current commitment to a substance abuse treatment plan. Psychotic treatment programs (other than mental health centers) are designed for an individual’s treatment needs, and are offered to each individual on a specific basis. Individuals may choose to enroll in a treatment program during a single year or less. The Psychiatric Treatment Schedule is generally described or approved to be an outpatient mental health facility, rather than the facility described by the Mental Health Service (including psychiatrists), and is administered by an individual physician in the individual’s own home. Any treatment that is considered to be “psychotic” (i.e., a treatment
Individuals with a history of violence display major dysfunction in daily self-care, family adjustment, and community social adjustment (Swogger, Walsh, & Kosson2007). Researchers have shown that individuals with the above mentioned traits tend suffer from schizophrenia, which is closely associated with violent offenders. Other hand, nonviolent individuals tended to have sufficient social role adjustment but have more problems such as; depressed mood, agitation, and internal confusion than violent individual. Offenders that show disorganized behaviour, decrease in, or loss of, normal functions are normally associated with psychosis .Violent offenders with psychosis alone tended to be more violent than were those with either psychosis and another diagnosis or no psychosis (Brower & Price2001). Researchers conclude that there are definite differences in the type of crime as well as background factors in offenders who had been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and those who had not been diagnosed with a Psychotic disorder.