Case Study Analysis of personality disorder and crime

To worsen the matters, many of the individuals involved in the crime have denied any connection or responsibility to the crime committed due to the mental illness they have. One case of a mental disorder is the personality disorder. To comprehend the close relationship involving personality disorder and crime, the cases of Nicola Edgington and Jessica McCord will be analyzed in this research paper. The paper, also, will concentrate on social control, which is so significant in community. The paper will critically analyze the two cases. Paranoid Schizophrenia is known by high levels of dubiousness, little affection to others and dark feelings. In an investigation of the two cases of women with traits of personality disorders and how they are responding to crime, commitment serves as an example that, personality disorder significantly add to the happenings of problematic traits that causes offense.

The account of Nicola Edgington has been so prevalent in the media more so following her involvement in the murder case in 2011. Nicolas murdered her mother in 2005, registering her first offense. In a close view of the proceedings that lead to the offense committed show that, Nicola's mother requested to go at her home. Shortly before stabbing Hodkin, Nicola unsuccessfully murdered Ms. Clark at the bus station. The victim overwhelmed Nicola during the struggle and took away the knife from her (BBC. NEWS, February 2013) In a short time before the instance, Judge was in the process of sanctioning Nicola after receiving calls from Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Nicola was moving out of the sickbay before boarding the motor vehicle to Bexleyheath. In a statement from Nicola's family, it claimed that her 2009 release didn't engage any sovereign mental health tribunals; the ministry of justice only followed the recommendation from the Bracton Centre where she was being detained.

The family regretted why Nicola was released back to the community freely on the following morning after stabbing. The family further said the society ought to have been considered in regards to safety and protection against such a dangerous person. However, in response to the reservation from Nicola's family, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust that heads Bracton Centre claimed it had conducted a thorough investigation and found it prudent for Nicola to be released back to the society since she was sound and the care she had received from the society after she was discharged was sufficient (Hatyden. S. Alan tried to make a peaceful marriage, but Jessica made it impossible. Jessica suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder and Narcissism. Under normal circumstances, such disorders result from an abusive childhood, more so physical and psychological torture.

In Jessica's case, her father beat both her and the mother. The characters of her father climax to him killing a Tennessee woman. Later the matter of child custody went to court, but despite the court's ruling, it meant nothing to Jessica who continued limit Alan's access to his children. Alan attempted to seek Court's injunction on Jessica's interference with his Custody time that resulted in Jessica being threatened and lectured, but she ignored the court's warnings. In December 2001, when Jessica had severally ignored court's warnings, she was arrested and jailed for ten years. She began reading the murder mystery so as not to lose the custody. Alan was set to be in Birmingham to participate in depositions relating to the case of custody and had arranged with his attorney to come along with the girls during that time.

In relating the criminal justice field with Jessica's case, the case centered around the bitter custody war between Jessica and Alan although it was mainly circumstantial. The case convinced the prosecutor to believe that it was airtight. They were hesitant having any discussion with Jessica about the taking any plea. Jessica tried to convince the jury during the trial that she was also a victim. She narrated how Alan was trying to forceful take away the girls from her. Nationally, mental illness is not the only concern since 36% of the prisoners are hepatitis C positive. The government should prioritize in offering a complete suite of health services in custodial settings, explicitly aiming at mental health. The legislation is needed to its effectiveness.

How personality disorder and crime appear in criminal justice Individuals with different types of mental illness are the leading in the criminal justice system. The association between mental illness and crime behavior such as violence is not so much clear and evident. This has a significant insinuation to both health system and criminal justice. Though it is so significant to treat mental illness, it is advisable first to address other factors that contribute to criminal behavior such as personal environmental and social supports. Critical discussion and statistics According to the statistics, out of the total personality disorder in the population sentenced, 50% are female, and 64% are male while in functional psychotic disorders, 14% are female while 7% are male. In depressive episodes, 15% are female while 8% are male.

However, in prisoner drug use, only 45% were female and 34% female. The mentally disordered offenders are not readily noticeable within a given community until they commit a serious crime such as murder or attempted murder. This is seen in the cases of both Jessica and Nicola where it was until they killed is when they were discovered to have personality disorders. Nicola after killing her mother is when the investigation established that she had a mental illness. The same case was applied to Jessica; it was until her eventual murder of her former husband and girlfriend is when she was found out by the court after the medical test that she was mentally ill. Thus, justifying her actions References BBC. Paey, J.