The Researchers, Project Focus and Project Completion
The article entitled Effects of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Abuse on Criminal Offenses is an inquiry on the possible relation of serious mental illness and substance abuse on behavior that is potential for criminalization. It its authored by four Doctors of Philosophy who are deeply involved in the field of psychology – Dr. John Junginger, Dr. Keith Claypool, Dr. Ranilo Laygo and Dr. Annette Crisanti. The authors exacted their focus on potential linkages between serious mental illness and substance abuse (independent variables), on one hand, and criminalization of people who are subject to those conditions (dependent variable), on the other. To come up with findings for the study at hand, they gathered data consisting of participants’ (incarcerated people affected by any of the two independent variables) criminal offenses, their corresponding explanations and descriptions of those offenses from both the police and participants. Using those data, they have utilized 5-point scales to come up with estimates that are crucial for their conclusions (Junginger, Claypoole, Laygo & Crisanti, 2006).
Findings and Conclusions of the Research Project
In examining the minute weight of those independent variables as emphasized by the authors, they came up with findings reflecting a noteworthy number of criminal offenses triggered by delusional violence, with the delimitation that delusional violence is not very prevalent (Junginger, Parks-Levy & McGuire, 1998). In concluding that the independent variables in question are not impactful to crime-inducing behavior, they asserted that other “risk factors” more powerful than the ones taken up in their study deserve better attention due to their stronger influence in behavior leading to crimes (Draine, Salzer, Culhane & Hadley, 2002). Taking into context the risk factor of serious mental illness, the study did not discount the possibility that factors unique to such risk factor may become a specific cause of crime-inducing behavior (Junginger, Claypoole, Laygo & Crisanti, 2006).
Significant Contributions of the Study
The study in scrutiny directly questioned the validity of the assertion stating that serious mental illness and substance abuse have an imposing effect on crime-inducing behavior. It was able to present empirical data fortifying the premise that stands against such assertionThey also gave importance to conducting further studies tackling risk factors to crime other than serious mental illness such as substance abuse (which received substantial coverage in this study), poverty and unemployment (Draine, Salzer, Culhane & Hadley, 2002). Apart from that, they emphasized that further studies on criminal behavior linked to specific factors of serious mental illness may emerge in the future (Junginger, Claypoole, Laygo & Crisanti, 2006).
References
Draine, J., Salzer, M., Culhane, D., & Hadley, T. (2002). Role of social disadvantage in crime, joblessness, and homelessness among persons with serious mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 53(5), 565-573.
Junginger, J., Claypoole, K., Laygo, R., & Crisanti, A. (2006). Effects of serious mental illness and substance abuse on criminal offenses. Psychiatric Services, 57(6), 879-882.
Junginger, J., Parks-Levy, J., & McGuire, L. (2006). Delusions and symptom-consistent violence. Psychiatric Services, 49(2), 218-220.
