ABSTRACT
The life goals of offenders with mental illness are affected by both exigencies of the criminal justice system (CJS) and disabilities related to specific psychiatric disorders. A third set of factors also influence outcome: public attitudes about offenders with mental illness. Namely, the way in which the general population stigmatises offenders with mental illness will influence their opportunities and the quality of life that corresponds with achieving personal aspirations. Our focus in this chapter is on mental illness attitudes as they interact with the CJS within the United States. We begin this chapter with consideration of the fairly extensive literature on stigma and mental illness. Mental illness, here, refers to serious psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety. We then seek to make sense of the extent of the problem; we attempt to describe stigma effects on forensic issues. Insights from this body of knowledge can be used to inform models about the person with mental illness who is also an offender. Still, review of existing data and theory requires careful and critical analysis. We attempt this recommendation in consideration of epidemiology and violence for people with serious mental illness. We end the chapter with discussion of ways to challenge these stigmatising attitudes.
