Schizophrenia and Crime: A Psychological Examination, Slides of Psychology

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AN INTRODUCTION

TO SCHIZOPHRENIA

AND CRIME

Submitted by- Ablam Vinay Kumar Submitted to – Mr. Suraj Kumar En. No. – 191127107002 Topic – Criminal Psychology

SCHIZOPHRENIA: ALTERED

REALITY

 (^) Schizophrenia, is a severe disorder in which the person suffers from disordered thinking, bizarre behavior, hallucinations, and inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.  (^) About 1% of the population experiences schizophrenia in their lifetime, and usually the disorder is first diagnosed during early adulthood (early to mid-20s).  (^) Most people with schizophrenia experience significant difficulties in many day- to-day activities, such as holding a job, paying bills, caring for oneself (grooming and hygiene), and maintaining relationships with others.  (^) Frequent hospitalizations are more often, Even when they receive the best treatments available, many with schizophrenia will continue to experience serious social and occupational impairment throughout their lives.

2. Delusions:

 Delusions are false beliefs about the world that the

person holds and that tend to remain fixed and

unshakable even in the face of evidence that disproves

the delusions.

 delusions include delusions of persecution, in which

they believe that others are trying to hurt them in some

way.

 delusions of reference, in which people believe that

other people, television characters, and even books are

specifically talking to them.

 delusions of influence, in which people believe that

they are being controlled by external forces, such as the

devil, aliens, or cosmic forces.

 delusions of grandeur (or grandiose delusions), in

which people are convinced that they are powerful

people who can save the world or have a special

mission.

 Other delusions includes:

 Thought withdrawal

 Thought insertion



Somatic delusions:

belief something highly

abnormal is happening

to one’s body.

5. Negative symptoms:

 (^) Negative symptoms are those that reflect noticeable decreases and absences in certain behaviors, emotions and drives  (^) They include:  (^) Diminished emotion expression  (^) Avolition: lack of motivation to engage in self initiated and meaningful activity.  (^) Alogia: reduced speech output.  (^) Asociality: withdrawal from social interactions.  (^) Anhedonia: an inability to experience pleasure.

CAUSES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

Genes and Environment

 (^) Not only genes, but Environment do too impact a person’s behavior. Causes of Schizophrenia High genetic risk Low genetic risk Persons who raised in a disturbed environment 36.8% 5.3% Persons who raised in a healthy environment 5.8% 4.8%

• (^) This study supports a diathesis-stress interpretation of schizophrenia-both genetic vulnerability and environmental stress are necessary for schizophrenia to develop, genes alone do not show the complete picture.

Neurotransmitters

• (^) Dopamine The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia proposed that an overabundance of dopamine or too many dopamine receptors are responsible for the onset and maintenance of schizophrenia
• (^) Serotonin Brain structural deficits i.e., Frontal lobe defects, deterioration of neurons, reduction in white matter integrity etc.

SCHIZOPHRENIA AND

VIOLENT CRIME

 (^) It has been identified that there are close links between mental illness and crime, and historically this can be traced back to the 1800's when James Hadfield provided the law with a principal case, in which it was recognized that Hadfield had been suffering with paranoid delusions after he attempted to kill King George. The court stated that 'He being under the influence of insanity at the time the act was committed.  (^) Patients who suffer from psychiatric illness are more likely to be vulnerable in the society, due to unemployment, social isolation, and educational failure.  (^) The disturbances of thought and perception in sufferers can lead to Delusional jealousy and the individual may act in a way that makes them violent towards other  (^) It was reported that the rate of violent offences was four times higher among the schizophrenics.

SCHIZOPHRENIA, SUB. ABUSE

AND CRIME

 (^) In a new study, presented in the scientific journal JAMA, researchers compared the rate of violent crime in over 8,000 people diagnosed with schizophrenia between 1973 and 2006, and a control group of 80, people from the general population of Sweden.  (^) Twenty-eight per cent of those with schizophrenia and co-occurring substance abuse were convicted of violent crime compared to eight per cent of those with schizophrenia and no substance abuse, and five per cent of the general population.  (^) Recently, a review of 35 longitudinal studies found a substantially increased risk of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders in people who had used marijuana, with the greatest risk in the most frequent users.

CASE STUDY

Shrikant Anandrao Bhosale vs State of Maharashtra Police constable Wife surekha Schizophrenia symptoms  (^) Paranoid delusions  (^) Persecutors delusions  (^) Loss of sleep  (^) Excitement  (^) History of psychiatric illness  (^) Visual hallucinations  (^) Delusions of grandeur Quarrel, excessive liquor, extreme anger Hospitalized Insanity plea? mens rea? Burden of proof is on the Appellant Judgement: Sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment under sec. 302 Conclusion : The week motive of killing of wife being that she was opposing the idea of the appellant’s resigning the job of a police constable.

REFERENCE

 (^) https://openstax.org/books/psychology/pages/15-8-schizophrenia  (^) https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1923024/  (^) Textbook of criminology  (^) Criminal Psychology by Dr. S.R. Myneni.  (^) Psychology by Pearson | 5th^ Edition