David616

iTrader: (1)

I need opinions on this. This is for my psychology class. Professor wanted me to make a survey out of this research. Your input would greatly help out with my research project.

What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia-patterns of severly disturbing thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and behavior that severly impairs that ability to communicate and to relate to others; disrupts most aspects of daily functioning.

Do you think a person diagnosed with schizophrenia who commits a serious crime (ex: murder) should be considered not guilty due to "insanity"?

Why or why not?

tC4italy

I'll shoot this over to my sister (lawyer) and let you know.

captainlaziness

I think it would depend on their personal history. If they had an extreme case of schizophrenia (read-> really crazy ), then a not guilty is possible. Another thing to consider is if the person is supposed to be on madication. If this is an older person who knows that they should be taking meds and while on them decides to stop, then that may make for a guilty. Knowing that you could be a danger to yourself and others if you don't take your pills and then not taking your pills, to me, is almost like drinking a bottle of Yeager and then going out for a joy ride.

DragonR

Definition

Schizophrenia (in Greek, “split mind") is a severe mental illness characterized by a variety of symptoms including but not limited to:

loss of contact with reality
bizarre behavior
disorganized thinking
disorganized speech
decreased emotional expressiveness
diminished or loss of contact with reality
diminished to total social withdrawal.

Schizophrenia afflicts approximately one percent of the world's population, making it the most common psychosis. Schizophrenia is characterized by positive and negative symptoms. Fundamental symptoms include thought disturbance, withdrawal, and difficulties managing effect. Secondary symptoms include perception disorders such as hallucinations and grandiosity. Symptoms may also be non-schizophrenic in nature, including anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms.

1. During one month or more, a significant portion of time is taken up by bizarre delusions that are hallucinations consisting of two or more voices conversing with each other or of a voice that affects a person's behaviors or thoughts or at least two of the following:

delusions
hallucinations
grossly disorganized behavior
catatonic behavior
negative symptoms
2. For a significant portion of time, due to the disturbance, marked impairment is noticed in academics, interpersonal relationships, self-care, work or any other major area of functioning.

3. Symptoms are continuous and persist for at least six months.

4. The disturbance is not due to a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, substance abuse, general medical condition or another mental disorder.

Diagnostic Criteria ( Bleuler's )

Fundamental symptoms: thought disorders, blunted effect, indifference, withdrawal, retardation, autistic behavior and mannerisms.

Secondary symptoms - mechanisms patients may develop to cope with fundamental symptoms : hallucinations, paranoid ideation, grandiosity.

Non-schizophrenic symptoms - emotional disturbances not uniquely associated with schizophrenia: thought disorders, blunted effect, indifference, withdrawal, retardation, autistic behavior and mannerisms.

Schizophrenia Subtypes

Paranoid Type
Disorganized Type ( Hebephrenic )
Catatonic Type
Undifferentiated Type
Residual Type.

sorry... psych bachelors, working on masters, dreaming of doctorate... definitely guilty by insanity, locked up in a prison hospital under constant psychotherapy and pschopharmaceutical treatment. The duration of their "visit" is dependant on the level of their break with reality and the severity of their crime, finally determined by multiple therapists who have had intensive sessions with the patient

tC4italy

There you go he did it

David616

iTrader: (1)

thanks for the input DragonR.

SSM_tC

if Schizophrenia was an issue and is documented during the course of the person's lifetime and they had an episode due to no fault of their own - Caregiver gave them wrong medication, etc, then no, I wouldn't find them guilty.

"Convenient" Schizophrenia that just "Happened to come out" when the person commited the crime and the person had no prior history of it = Pure Bullsh*t ... let 'em hang.

tC4italy

David this is from the law's perspective:

Yes. There are several tests of "insanity" and they differ from state to state. Most have in common, however, the requirement that the insane person did not know right from wrong. Insanity proves to be a defense only if the person did not have the ability to "want" to commit the crime. In other words, the "mens rea" must be lacking in order for the person to be judged not guilty due to insanity.

David616

iTrader: (1)

thank you tC4italy.

tC4italy

My pleasure. Good luck.

DragonR

it just dawned on me that this kid might be fishing to see if he can use insanity as a plea and get away with some gruesome act!!!!

David616

iTrader: (1)

are you pointing that towards me? if so, i really do have a project to do on this. its my final project for the class for the semester.

tC4italy

He was just messing with ya

David616

iTrader: (1)

Did not want anyone to think I was a maniac or anything.

tC4italy

Wait.......who ISN'T crazy on SL!?!

Magnus213

iTrader: (1)

*Edit* My response didn't really address the question.

Why can't these "homework help" threads be something easy like Physics or Calculus?

captainlaziness

<----- For one....and two :D

tC4italy

oHOH we gotta watch out for this (these) one(s)!

DragonR

uhhh... i was just joking.... i dont understand why people dont get that im screwing with their heads.... *stop saying things like that, they'll start to think youre crazy too*... NO IM NOT.... *yes you are*... SHUT UP... *NO! you shut up*... 'I think you should both shut up.

David616

iTrader: (1)

i did not want anyone to think i was a lunatic. didnt want to wake up in the morning and then have people trying to strap me up in a white suit.