ipl-logo

Modified Labeling Theory Paper

563 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Contributions of labeling theory

As numerous studies have shown, being labeled mentally ill increases one’s likelihood of being convicted and incarcerated due to the negative stigmas that are associated with mental illnesses. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics [BJS] (2006), 73% of females, and 55% of males on the state prison level had some type of mental health problem. Additionally, 75% of women and 63% of men incarcerated in local jails have a mental health problem (Varney, 2014).
This study will use Modified Labeling Theory to explore the stigmas of mental illness and how the perceptions thereof can have severe negative effects on an individual’s life (Link, Cullen, Struening, Shrout, & Dohrenwend 1989). The purpose of this study is to explore the explanations and suggestions as to why those who are disadvantaged in society, such as …show more content…

Research by Anakwenze and Zuberi (2013) supports the idea that poverty leads to mental illness, and mental illness tends to increase poverty. Additionally, minorities with mental illnesses are less likely to receive treatment and more likely to be involved in criminal activities (Corrigan, Pickett, Batia, & Michaels, 2014). To address the issue of why so many people are labeled mentally ill, researchers point out that police officers are usually the ones who determine if someone has a mental health problem, a determination that they are not trained to make (Vogel, Stephens, & Siebels, 2014). Furthermore, due to the lack of health care facilities in the U.S., individuals with mental illnesses are seldom treated and when coming in contact with law enforcement, they are

Show More
Related
691 Words | 3 Pages

This episode of PBS Frontline focuses on the growing problem of the enormous mentally ill criminal population in prisons and jails. The viewer is also provided with insight on the challenges and difficulties many of the released mentally ill face that often lead them back into incarceration. As the numbers of mentally ill offenders increase, much is debated regarding terms of release and the deinstitutionalization of the 1970’s. One of the main focuses of this episode was how many mentally ill criminals often find themselves re-incarcerated. Those that make parole or temporary supervision are usually better off being that they have someone to make sure their lives are organized.

Read More
1655 Words | 7 Pages

Police are routinely cast into conditions in which they have to recognize and quickly adapt to situations involving mentally ill suspects. This may be the reason police officers are known as “streetcorner psychiatrists, de facto mental health service providers, or psychiatrist in blue.” Some studies report that ten percent of all police contacts are with people with a serious mental illness. Other studies report that people with a serious mental illness represent six to eight percent of all state prisoners, while other data claims that over half of state prisoners have a serious mental illness. Further, people with a serious mental illness will spend more time incarcerated than people who do not have a serious mental illness.

Read More
556 Words | 3 Pages

Even after release, the counterproductive, deeply internalized patterns learned in prison are still present (Haney, 2002). In addition, the rate of incarceration of mentally ill individuals is alarming. Suspects will mental and developmental disorders are often unfairly sent to prison without regard to their conditions, leaving them helpless. Mentally ill inmates have an even more difficult time adjusting to life in prison, leaving them at an even higher risk for psychological

Read More
1191 Words | 5 Pages

Furthermore, the failure to address mental health needs within the prison system exacerbates these issues. The Equal Justice Initiative reveals that more than half of all Americans in prison or jail have a mental illness. Prison officials often fail to provide correct treatment, resorting to physical force and solitary confinement, which can worsen mental health problems. The Equal Justice Initiative reveals, “More than half of all Americans in prison or jail have a mental illness. Prison officials often fail to provide appropriate treatment for people whose behavior is difficult to manage, instead resorting to physical force and solitary confinement, which can aggravate mental health problems.”

Read More
1012 Words | 5 Pages

In the second issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest Vol. 15, Corrigan, Druss and Perlick (2014) discuss the role of stigma in limiting access to care and in discouraging people from pursuing mental health treatment. From a public standpoint, the stereotypes that people with mental illness are dangerous, unpredictable, responsible for their illness (Crisp et al, 2000), or generally inept, can lead to active discrimination, such as excluding people with these conditions from employment and social or educational opportunities (Parle S 2012). Furthermore, service users have recorded incidents of social discrimination in the community, such as being physically and verbally attacked by neighbours as well as strangers, having their property vandalised, or being barred from entering a range of businesses, and that those with addictions or psychotic illness were more likely to experience this than those with non-psychotic illness. Examples of being spoken to as if they were stupid or like children, patronising behaviour and attitude from the community and, in some instances, having questions addressed to those accompanying them rather than service users themselves were also reported (Lyons et al, 2009).

Read More
1266 Words | 6 Pages

A major demographic of people that are being treated unfairly within the justice system are the mentally ill. Because of the modern lack of empathy within the system, those suffering from mental illness are not receiving the treatment and care that they need, which is limiting the justice that the system is producing. Mental illness is rarely considered when assessing crime, and this has led to large quantities of prisoners being mentally ill. In “Just Mercy”, Stevenson says, “America’s prisons have become warehouses for the mentally ill” (Stevenson 186). Because courts have a lack of empathy regarding the mentally ill, these people are being piled up in prisons, making up the majority of the population.

Read More
1349 Words | 6 Pages

The shift is attributed to the unexpected clinical needs of this new outpatient population, the inability of community mental health centers to meet these needs, and the changes in mental health laws (Pollack & Feldman, 2003). Thousands of mentally ill people flowing in and out of the nation 's jails and prisons. In many cases, it has placed the mentally ill right back where they started locked up in facilities, but these jail and prison facilities are ill-equipped to properly treat and help them. In 2006 the Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated that there were; 705,600 mentally ill inmates in state prisons, 78,000 in federal prisons, and

Read More
268 Words | 2 Pages

Through the years and through inmate experiences few things are changing for female and identified mentally ill offenders. From years past, Caucasian women offenders were seen as “pious and naïve of the evils” (Hanser, 2013), and African-American women offenders were more likely to face incarceration for wrongful actions. However, women, in general, did not hold the largest offender numbers like their male counter-offenders. From the RH REALITY CHECK Internet article, written by Sharona Coutts and Zoe Greenberg, in March of 2015, “In 2010, Black women were incarcerated at nearly three times the rate of white women . . .” While women incarceration rates increase, the conditions of the institutions still lack the necessities for women and

Read More
342 Words | 2 Pages

Like all form of disparities, mental health disparities is a serious challenge for minorities’ communities across America. Individuals with mental health illness how do not receive adequate health care due to variations can be affected in many ways. When their mental illness progress without any diagnosis they can easily be perceived as a threat to society. In cases where crimes are committed, and they cannot prove they are mentally challenged they can be charge and send to prison without being diagnosed which could affect their condition due to the lack of treatment. Without eradicating or implementing policies to deal with mental health disparities the probability of legally or morally assuming that people with mental health challenges are

Read More
525 Words | 3 Pages

Untreated mental illness is dangerous and over time we have learned that locking people with a mental illness is not the solution but makes it worse. People with untreated mental illness face many consequences. “People with untreated psychiatric illnesses comprise 250,000 people, of the total homeless population” (mentalillnesspolicy.org). The quality of life for these individuals is extremely heart breaking, and many are victimized regularly.

Read More
1125 Words | 5 Pages

Howard Becker who was created labeling theory in 1963. labeling theory is  when a person is labeled by someone and they have accepted the label therefore they start acting the way. This is one of the most important theory in society to understand deviant and criminal behavior. In this society labeling theory is one of the most important ways to understand deviant and criminal behaviour. It begins with the assumption that no act is basically criminal.

Read More
1056 Words | 5 Pages

The differential association is a theory that explains why criminals commit crimes based upon their relationship with other people. For example, when they have contact with other people who are criminals they learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. Edwin Sutherland has this 9 basic tenets of this differential association theory. Sutherland point of view is that (1) criminal behavior are behavior we learned over the time (2) We learned criminal behavior by having relationships with other people who are already criminals and the way they communicate is by words and signs.

Read More
1225 Words | 5 Pages

The problem is that not enough is being done to deal with the growing population of untreated individuals who are left on the streets to fend for themselves. These patients are a problem to themselves and their respective communities. Their unpredictable behaviors threaten their well-being and the safety of fellow citizens. Those with mental illness are unable to function on a basis that allows them to take care of themselves, as a result their chances of survival are unpredictable. Those who are mentally ill are at an unstable position of survival because they lack the ability to be independent, such as providing for their everyday needs.

Read More
774 Words | 4 Pages

There are many issues in our society like drugs, alcohol, racism, rape, gender work place diversity, injustice etc. People face many problems due to these issues. The most major issue of our society is inequality which will be highlighted in detail in this essay along with its solution. Inequality means unequal opportunities and rewards for different social positions within a society. People judge other people on the basis of their appearance and the accent of their language it.

Read More
857 Words | 4 Pages

Stigmatization of mental illness existed well before psychiatry became a formal discipline, but was not formally labeled and defined as a societal problem until the publication of Goffman’s book (1963). Mental illnesses are among the most stigmatizing conditions, regardless of the specific psychiatric diagnosis. Unlike other illnesses, mental illness is still considered by some to be a sign of weakness, as well as a source of shame and disgrace. Many psychiatric patients are concerned about how people will view them if knowledge of their condition becomes public Mental health stigma can be divided into two distinct types: • social stigma is characterized by prejudicial attitudes and discriminating behavior directed towards individuals with mental health problems as a result of the psychiatric label they have been given and has those types stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination Stereotypes are based on knowledge available to members of a group and provide a way to categorize information about other groups in society Prejudiced persons agree with these negative stereotypes, and these attitudes lead to discrimination through negative behaviors toward mentally ill individuals those negative perceptions create fear of and social distance from mentally ill persons. • perceived stigma or

Read More

More about Modified Labeling Theory Paper

Related Topics

Open Document