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Racial differences in the criminalization of the mentally ill

P M Grekin1, R Jemelka, E W Trupin

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.

The Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
|January 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

The criminalization of mental illness is complex. This study found that counties disproportionately sent mentally ill individuals from minority groups to prison, suggesting racial bias in justice system diversion.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Psychiatry
  • Criminology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The "criminalization of mental illness" hypothesis suggests mentally ill individuals are diverted into the criminal justice system.
  • Previous research has often examined mental health or criminal justice systems in isolation, not comparatively.
  • Limited studies have explored the intersection of mental healthcare access and criminal justice involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare state hospital admissions with the admission of mentally ill persons to state prisons.
  • To investigate potential variations in diversion patterns across different jurisdictions.
  • To examine the role of race in the diversion of mentally ill individuals to the criminal justice system.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of state hospital admission data and state prison admission data for mentally ill individuals.

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  • County-level examination of diversion patterns.
  • Statistical analysis to identify disparities in system utilization based on race and county.

    • Main Results:

    • Significant variation observed in how different counties utilized state hospitals versus state prisons for mentally ill populations.
    • Counties disproportionately admitted mentally ill members of their largest minority group to state prisons compared to expectations.
    • Evidence suggests racial disparities in the diversion of mentally ill individuals to the criminal justice system.

    Conclusions:

    • Jurisdictional differences significantly impact the diversion of mentally ill individuals between mental health and criminal justice systems.
    • Race appears to be a significant factor influencing whether mentally ill individuals are treated in hospitals or incarcerated.
    • Further research is needed to understand the systemic factors contributing to these racial disparities in mental illness diversion.