Current Issues in Criminal Justice-1M

Since many mentally ill defendants end up in corrections, the fairness and tactics of their treatment in corrections facilities gives some law enforcement officials cause for concern. After all, mentally challenged inmates may have different needs than typical criminals, or they may have a different understanding of their guilt in relation to the crimes with which they have been charged. In this discussion, you will consider how these inmates should be treated.

Discuss the following:

Is it fair to treat mentally ill criminals differently from other criminals? Why or why not?

What kinds of exceptions, if any, should be made for mentally ill inmates and why?

What new strategies would you propose for managing these types of inmates? Why might these strategies be helpful?