Question

Explain why the media and much of the general public believe that crime and the mental illness are related to each other. Is this factual? Why, or why not? Provide examples. Your response should be at least 200 words in length.

Answer 1

People are the result of their environment and one’s micro and macro environment shape one’s personality, attitude and worldview. In the absence of a favorable environment, one might become a criminal either to fight for their rights or to attract attention of others. Most of the criminals are mentally disturbed by either their brought-up or affected by their environment. Most of the mass shootings, most of the psycho cases that engaged in ape and killing etc. had people who were not happy with the way they lived or with the society.

Mental illness thus, would play a major role in deciding one’s moods, thoughts, behaviors etc. Thus, those whose moods, thoughts and behaviors are not in line with the social norms and laws of the land would lead them to commit crimes. These people are the result of their environment which rejected them, let them down, neglect their rights and ignore them. They engage in crimes in order to show their frustration, their irritation and their anger to people thus lose their mental stability. This leads them to believe that the entire society wronged them thus, unleash their anger on people who are not even related to them. Thus, mental illness have a strong connection to criminal behavior.

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