IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS IN NEWLY ARRESTED PRISONERS

• NCJ Number: 50911
• Journal: Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease Volume: 165 Issue: 2 Dated: (1977) Pages: 118-125
• Author(s): M A SCHUCKIT; G HERMANN; J J SCHUCKIT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 9 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Williams and Wilkins Co
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TO EXAMINE THE INCIDENCE OF PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS IN A GROUP OF PRISONERS, 199 MALES WITH NO PRIOR FELONY CONVICTIONS WERE EVALUATED THROUGH A STRUCTURED INTERVIEW WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THEIR FIRST MAJOR ARREST.

Abstract

SPECIFIC PURPOSES OF THE STUDY WERE TO EVALUATE FACTORS THAT IDENTIFY FELONS MOST IN NEED OF PSYCHIATRIC CARE AND TO CONDUCT A SHORT-TERM ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGNOSTIC MEANING OF DIAGNOSES. THE STUDY SAMPLE WAS LIMITED TO WHITE MALES WHOSE CURRENT MAJOR CHARGE WAS NOT DRUG-RELATED. SUBJECTS WERE APPROACHED FOR INTERVIEWING WITHIN 24 HOURS OF ADMISSION TO THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY JAIL IN CALIFORNIA. INTERVIEWS DEALT WITH THE PERIOD BETWEEN ARREST AND PRETRIAL HEARING. THE MOST FREQUENT DIAGNOSES WERE ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ABUSE, ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY, AFFECTIVE DISORDERS, AND ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROME. A REARREST RATE WAS COMPUTED, A SEVERITY OF ARRESTS HIERARCHY WAS ESTABLISHED, AND AN AVERAGE SEVERITY SCORE WAS FORMULATED FOR CRIME COMMITTED. APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE SAMPLE FULFILLED SOME PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA. ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY WAS SEEN IN 16 PERCENT, FOLLOWED BY ALCOHOLISM IN 15 PERCENT, DRUG ABUSE IN 12 PERCENT, AFFECTIVE DISORDERS IN 3 PERCENT, AND ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROME IN 2 PERCENT. WHILE 5 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE REQUIRED IMMEDIATE TREATMENT FOR THEIR AFFECTIVE DISORDER OR ORGANICITY, AN ADDITIONAL 27 PERCENT NEEDED LESS ACUTE COUNSELING FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUG ABUSE. THE 5 PERCENT WHO WERE CONFUSED, DEPRESSED, AND REQUIRED IMMEDIATE PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT HAD A PRIOR RECORD OF NONVIOLENT CRIMES, BUT THEIR CURRENT FELONY ARREST WAS FOR A VIOLENT OFFENSE. SLIGHTLY LESS THAN HALF OF THE MEN WITH NO KNOWN FELONY CONVICTIONS RECEIVED A PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS, USUALLY ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY OR ALCOHOLISM. THIS RATE WAS LOWER THAN THAT FOR CONVICTED FELONS. THE NEED FOR ACUTE TREATMENT OR SPECIALIZED COUNSELING SERVICES FOR INMATES IS DISCUSSED IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE CLOSING OF STATE MENTAL INSTITUTIONS MAY FORCE SOME MENTALLY ILL PERSONS INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, A SYSTEM WITHOUT THE CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH THEM. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)