Abstract
This article describes the difficulties of working with people with serious mental illnesses (PSMIs) at every stage of the criminal justice process—from arrest to post- incarceration release from prison. The needs of PSMI for mental health and social services are complex and require different case management plans and strategies at various points in the process. Severe mental illnesses (SMIs), such as schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder, stem from abnormalities in the brain structure and neuroprocessing that cause significant distress and dysfunction. People with serious mental illnesses typically suffer from a variety of other related problems (e.g., addiction) that can complicate encounters with criminal justice professionals who struggle to develop effective supervisory and service protocols in monitoring and treating PSMI and reducing rates of recidivism.
Recommended Citation
Arthur J. Lurigio,
A Half Century Of Criminalizing Serious Mental Illness: Observations And Considerations,
26
DePaul J. Health Care L.
38
(2025)
Available at:
https://via.library.depaul.edu/jhcl/vol26/iss1/3
Included in
Criminal Law Commons, Criminal Procedure Commons, Health Law and Policy Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons
