Criminalization of Mental Illness

Catalog description

This course examines the intersection of the psychiatric and penal systems in the United States. It examines the historical movements that served to locate the mentally ill within the criminal justice system. The moving of the mentally ill into prisons intended for criminal populations continues to be a significant concern in American society today. Particular attention is paid to the role of race and ethnicity, class, gender, and the Prison Industrial Complex that provide frameworks for understanding the social and psychological implications of this co-mingling of institutions, especially in their consequences for marginalized communities. Paying particular attention to the constitutional and global human rights concerning these imprisoned populations, this course explores the possibilities and opportunities for social and political change.