EXPLAINING THE INCREASED ARREST RATE AMONG MENTAL PATIENTS - THE CHANGING CLIENTELE OF STATE HOSPITALS

• NCJ Number: 48877
• Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 135 Issue: 7 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 816-820
• Author(s): H J STEADMAN; J J COCOZZA; M E MELICK
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychiatric Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE ARREST RATES OF TWO SAMPLES OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS RELEASED FROM NEW YORK PSYCHIATRIC CENTERS IN 1968 AND 1975 ARE COMPARED WITH A SAMPLE RELEASED IN 1947 TO ARRIVE AT AN EXPLANATION OF THE INCREASE.

Abstract

THE ARREST RATES OF NEARLY 2,000 PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS RELEASED FROM PSYCHIATRIC CENTER IN NEW YORK IN 1968 AND THOSE OF NEARLY 2,000 PATIENTS RELEASED IN 1975 WERE COMPARED WITH THE ARREST RATES OF A GROUP OF 5,000 PATIENTS STUDIED IN 1947. GENERALLY, ARREST RATES AMONG THE TWO RECENT SAMPLES WERE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN RATES IN THE GENERAL POPULATION IN CORRELATION WITH THE LARGER NUMBER OF PREVIOUSLY ARRESTED PATIENTS. OTHER CHARACTERISRTICS BELIEVED TO RELATE TO SUBSEQUENT ARRESTS WERE AGE AND ADMITTING DIAGNOSIS. WHEREAS NO MORE THAN 8 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS IN ANY OTHER MAJOR DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORY WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED, 18 PERCENT OF THOSE WITH EITHER ALCOHOL OR DRUG DIAGNOSES AND 28 PERCENT OF THOSE WITH PERSONALITY DISORDERS WERE ARRESTED. IT IS NOTED THAT ONE OF THE FACTORS CAUSING THIS RELATIONSHIP MAY BE THAT YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED AS SUBSTANCE ABUSERS ARE PARTICULARLY PRONE TO SUBSEQUENT ARREST. THIS INTERACTIVE EFFECT ULTIMATELY INDICATED THAT THE STATISTICALLY MORE IMPORTANT FACTOR WAS AGE; HOWEVER, A HISTORY OF PRIOR ARRESTS IS SHOWN TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE INCREASE IN SUBSEQUENT ARRESTS IN RECENT SAMPLES OF MENTAL PATIENTS. THE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY MORE PERSONS RECENTLY ADMITTED TO MENTAL HOSPITALS HAVE PRIOR ARREST RECORDS THAN WAS THE CASE IN 1947 IS CONSIDERED TO GO BEYOND THE DATA GATHERED. IT IS CONJECTURED THAT SOME SHIFT MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN THE EXCHANGE OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS IN THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE 1947 STUDY AND THE RECENT ONES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT AN ONSET OF MENTAL ILLNESS REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION DOES NOT INCREASE A PERSON'S TENDENCY TOWARD CRIMINAL ACTIVITY BEYOND WHAT EXISTED PRIOR TO INITIAL HOSPITALIZATION. (RCB)