-
Essay / Criminals with Mental Illnesses - 1022
Many criminals in the United States suffer from mental illnesses, most commonly schizophrenia. Schizophrenia has many symptoms, some of which are delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking or speech, and abnormal behavior. Symptoms of schizophrenia in adolescents may include withdrawal from friends or family, decreased academic performance, trouble sleeping, depressed or irritable mood, and lack of motivation. In 1981, Steven Steinberg was accused of murdering his wife, Elena, by stabbing her. with a kitchen knife 26 times. Steinberg called the police that night and reported an attempted burglary gone wrong. The police did not observe any break-in. Steinberg committed a murder in his sleep, we call it a sleepwalking murder. Murder by sleepwalking is a parasomnia that manifests itself through automatism, it can cause harmful or dangerous actions when committed in this state, although any harmful action committed in this state of mind cannot be attributed to the 'author. Steinberg says he doesn't remember the crime, but he doesn't deny it. He was found not guilty because he was temporarily insane. Steinberg was released because he was not held criminally responsible for his wife's death. Jeffrey Dahmer is a notorious sex offender, serial killer, cannibalist, necrophilia, and dismemberer. His first murder was in 1978. Dahmer beat a hitchhiker, Steven Hicks, to death while in the woods because "the guy wanted to leave and I didn't want him too." In September 1987, Dahmer arrested Steven Tuomi at a gay bar and killed him on impulse. Dahmer later claimed no recollection. In 1988, Dahmer was arrested for giving drugs and sexually touching a thirteen-year-old boy. Jeffrey Dahmer committed 15 murders, storing the corpses in a vat...... middle of paper......y for his role as a star witness. Atkins was sentenced to death, but was later commuted to life in prison. She was in prison from 1969 until her death in 2009. Works Cited “ADHD, Asperger's syndrome and autism can get you arrested. » BrowardBar. 2014. Internet. April 2014. “Bipolar Disorders” Clinic. 1998-2014. Internet. May 8, 2014. Jones, Caitlin. “Genetic and environmental influences on criminal behavior.” » Personality Research.2005. Internet. April 30, 2014. Jones, Caitlin. “Personality disorders and traits. » Personality research. 2005. Internet. April 30, 2014. Mayoclinique “Schizophrenia”. 1998-2014. Internet. May 8, 2014. Tatar, Jeffrey. “Criminal behavior and personality disorders. » Personality research. 2005. Internet. April 30, 2014. Yoong, Gideon. “Top 10 Notorious Insanity Defense Cases.” Listverse. April 11, 2012. the web. May 8, 2014. “Charles Manson.” Biography. 2014. Internet. May 22 2014.