Schizophrenia And Criminality Essay

Schizophrenia and Criminality:

Factors that Contribute to Aggression

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder occurring in the brain that is characterized by positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, but can also display negative symptoms like the lack of emotional expression and catatonia, or the inability to move. Social problems, such as having difficulties with establishing and keeping interpersonal relationships, are also symptoms that can lead to the diagnosis of this illness (Tandon et al., 2013). Furthermore, schizophrenia has been linked to producing aggressive behaviors that can result in criminal acts (Hanlon, Coda, Cobia, & Rubin, 2012). The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the factors of schizophrenia that could contribute to an aggressive behavior and, in turn, to criminality.

Factors that contribute to the aggressive or violent behavior in some people with schizophrenia can actually be found at the very structural and functional level of the brain. Several impairments in the structure of the brain of a person with schizophrenia lead to an abnormal function, which can, in turn, lead to a higher probability of aggression. Comorbidity, the presence of two disorders at the same time, of schizophrenia with other disorders can also lead to criminality. Abnormal functioning in a schizophrenic patient’s brain can cause paranoid or persecutory delusions. These delusions are common characteristics of schizophrenia, and are shown to result in criminal behaviors (Hanlon et al., 2012).

Several possible correlations have been drawn between the biochemical factors of schizophrenia and criminal behavior. Not only are there biochemical differences in people with schizophrenia and people without, but t...

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...schizophrenia is more likely to have inappropriate behavioral responses (“Schizophrenia,” 2009).

The association of mental illnesses with criminal activity is allocated to the observation that a not overwhelming, but noticeable percentage of people in jails or prisons have mental illnesses. Mental disorders that can become very severe if untreated or treated inadequately, like schizophrenia, can be found among individuals in the criminal justice system that have committed crimes ranging from a misdemeanors to felonies. Although individuals with schizophrenia could have committed non-violent crimes, the violent ones, such as disturbing the peace by yelling or appearing threatening, domestic abuse, and murder, could be due to several factors that show people with schizophrenia have a higher risk of aggressive behavior (National Alliance on Mental Illness [NAMI], 2008).