Are violent male criminals just mentally ill?

[CptEgo]

We are surrounded by insane individuals in our every day life. Just don't make eye contact with people is all I can say.

Yep, that's exactly why I never go outside. I just can't risk it.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

No, the desire to commit violence isn't an illness, it's a response created by a variety of emotions, the people who think that most violent people are mentally ill should get their own mental health checked out.

Partly right. Most violence is caused by an emotional response and the inflicters of this kind of violence are not usually mentally ill.

However you used the phrase "Desire to commit violence". Any kind of compulsion to hurt other people is a possible sign of mental illness.

[Mormolyce]

Whether you are successful or not in an insanity plea has nothing to do with gender? If it did that would actually violate the law?

Specifically, are male perpetrators of violent crime of this type in need of treatment, and should we be taking them out of prisons (where let's face it they are highly likely to re-offend and also learn new tricks inside) and putting them in hospitals in the same way that we currently do with female perpetrators?

Because we put men in prisons and women in hospitals?

[Vea Lea]

this

and alcohol

i think alcohol contributes to a lot of violent crime you see

[Deleted]

Unbalanced =/= ill

[Tripax]

Aggressive and violent people have less developed skills to control themselves. They are literally messed up in the BRAIN.

This is very hard for some (most) people to accept, because everyone wants to believe that there aren't that many absolutely lost causes roaming around.

[Deleted]

People asking why the gender differentiation in the title and post. It's because we already treat genders differently in the law:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...-changes-women

Official reports confirm that women's life circumstances, particularly as mothers, are already allowed for within the judicial system. Sentencing guidelines state that a woman with children should be spared jail for lesser offences, even if the father is at home. The same condition does not apply in reverse. Magistrates admit that they are more likely to take pity on a female defendant. This partly explains why only 20% of women in prison are mothers on the outside (who live with their children), and why women make up more than a third of formal police cautions and nearly a quarter of court defendants, but fewer than 5% of prisoners. Even when all other factors are taken into consideration, women are significantly less likely to be imprisoned at all, and receive shorter average sentences than men for the same offences.

Since the Corston report of 2007, there has been a persistent focus on reform of women's sentencing from charities, campaigners and politicians of all parties. This gives a strong message that female offenders are special, to be pitied and understood. Male prisoners, by implication, are creators of their own ill-fortune.

The government's own research betrays a more pitiful truth. Criminality is not to be justified or excused, but it must be acknowledged that those who cause the most damage to society are often the most damaged. Two-thirds of male prisoners have a reading age of 11 or less. More than 70% of have at least two diagnosed mental health conditions, 10% experienced auditory hallucinations in the preceding year. Fifteen per cent of prisoners were homeless and 28% in insecure accommodation immediately before custody.

My point is, should we extend that same right to hospitalisation and treatment to violent male offenders that we currently do to female offenders.

[tj119]

This seems pretty relevant

Maybe thousands of men (maybe millions - there are over 8 million men in prison in the United States) are in prison who should have been sentenced to hospital treatment

Can you elaborate on your personal experience

Also strange bolding is my thing

I wouldn't say hospital, but a max security prison that actually looks to attempt to reform them and figure out what's wrong with them yes. Anecdotal but my first bunk mate ever in prison raped and beat a 12 year old girl. He felt no remorse, told me repeadetly he would do it again...even after myself, and other inmates completely thrashed him his entire sentence, one inmate damn near killed him. He still never regretted it, even told me he would do it again of released. In the prisons I was locked up in this wasn't an uncommon attitude amongst those type of criminals. Imo, that mindset is a cancer and needs to be studied.

Our system just allows for them to be released and the only real thing majority learn in prison is how to be a better criminal.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't say hospital, but a max security prison that actually looks to attempt to reform them and figure out what's wrong with them yes. Anecdotal but my first bunk mate ever in prison raped and beat a 12 year old girl. He felt no remorse, told me repeadetly he would do it again...even after myself, and other inmates completely thrashed him his entire sentence, one inmate damn near killed him. He still never regretted it, even told me he would do it again of released. In the prisons I was locked up in this wasn't an uncommon attitude amongst those type of criminals. Imo, that mindset is a cancer and needs to be studied.

Our system just allows for them to be released and the only real thing majority learn in prison is how to be a better criminal.

Would you say that bunk mate of yours was mentally ill?

[tj119]

Would you say that bunk mate of yours was mentally ill?

Absolutely, he was a grade A pedophile, said he would relive the rape in his head when he pleasured himself and would fantasize of dominating other young girls, anyone over 16 was too old for him. The man did not belong in prison, he belonged in a box six feet under or a lab to test what the fuck is wrong with him.

[Sunseeker]

Mental issues really is the right word to use here.

Sure, not all the problems are going to be biological ones, but social stresses can induce mental issues, from as simple as not valuing the life of another person based on irrational factors, to simply pushing a person over the edge.

[Dellis0991]

Thats bring up a another topic "Should those who do criminal acts be screened for mental illnesses?" I have a cousin who should have been put in a place to get help for his bi-polar and schizophrenia illness but they just tossed him in prison...Even his doctor advocated for released into a place where he can be treated but they denied him and now he I fear he is never getting released.