I hope that, once and for all, the message is clear — someone who has a mental illness is at no greater risk for violent crime. So says a new study that looked at the rate of violent crime in over 8,000 people diagnosed …
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Wish the soldiers could benefit from such research.
Glad to see this study and that it’s been getting so well publicized. I’ve had psychology professors who said things like ‘people with schizophrenia can be dangerous’. I cringe thinking, ‘Don’t say that! This is how stigma gets formed!’ Lots of people can be dangerous don’t go spreading the negative stereotypes.
This article missed two essential facts necessary to a true understanding of this issue. One, substance abuse is a mental disorder (see DSM-IV). Two, substance abuse comorbid with paranoid personality or paranoid schizohrenia is an extremely high risk factor for future violence. Numerous studies point this out clearly. Otherwise, the article is accurate.
Substance abuse and alcoholism live in a world unto themselves. While technically true that these are considered mental disorders, they are rarely treated by the same professionals or considered amongst the same people who have a mental illness. In some states, they are even handled by completely different human service agencies.
Perhaps this is because alcoholism and substance abuse are something someone does — initially, at least — voluntarily, and undertakes it for recreational purposes. These substances then directly affect the body and brain chemistry and, interacting with genetics, can make a person codependent fairly quickly.
This is significantly different than every other mental disorder, where there is no external substance being taken that causes the depression, anxiety or mania or ADHD or what-not.
Once you take away the substance abuse/alcoholism, there is no significant effect for violence. And that’s the main point.
Your article relative to Mental Health and Violent Crime was interesting; but not totally convincing. If you were to commit to a “common ground” that turns more people toward violent crime; what would that sorce be? Surely not racial, location, financial, religion, mixed marriages?. There must be some common ground. What is your idea of a “Common Ground? And how do we reduce what we cannot see or define? Or is that an excuse for not doing anything to reduce it?
Harry
I am sorry but I totally believe that crime and mental disorder definately goes hand in hand, How can one even think they don`t. I have seen it to many times in the forensic mental health setting, You would have to do allot more than a couple of studies to convince me otherwise..