State Hospital Incarceration Case Study

In perspective of the ones with mental illness who are confined to incarceration are as follows:

• Major Depression consists of 23.5% in state prisons, 16% in federal, and 29.7 in local jails. This is compared to the U.S. population of 7.9% who suffer from major depression as their primary illness.

• Mania disorder consists of the majority of mental illness in prison and jails with 43.2 % in state prison, 35.1 % in federal prison, and 54.5% in local jails. This is compared to the U.S. population of 1.8 percent, respectively.

• Psychotic disorder consists of 15.4 % in state prisons, 10.2 % in federal prisons, and 23.9 % in local jails. This is compared to 3.1 % of U.S. population.

• Percent receiving treatment: 33.8 % of state prison inmates receive treatment, compared to 24 % in federal prison, and that of 17.5 % in local jails. This is compared to 13 % of the U.S. population receiving mental health services.

Specific Case Studies

First, Lorena Bobbitt case was obvious to her defense team that she suffered from some sort of tragedy by the hands of her husband, John, and was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity, was acquitted on all charges, and served no time for her crime. It was established that Mrs. Bobbitt, a 24 year-old immigrant from Venezuela was a shy, petite, and likeable by all. It was determined by a jury of her peers that she did not have self-control and was unaware of any wrong-doing for maliciously wounding her husband. If she was found guilty, she would have had to serve 20 years in prison.