Not Criminally Responsible

Q 1- Do you think the NCR act provides adequate protections for individuals
struggling with mental disorders?
Q 2- Do you think the act provides adequate protections for society in general?
Both of these questions are very difficult to answer, as the issues surrounding the Non
Criminally Responsible (NCR) Act are complicated and complex. Personally, I believe
that this act has both positive and negative attributes.
I believe that the NCR act does provide adequate protection for individuals struggling
with mental disorders, but only to an extent. Some individuals that struggle with mental
disorders who happen to commit crime(s), especially those who have psychotic disorders,
may, in fact, be unaware of their wrong doings, as often times during psychotic episodes,
individuals do not have control over the situation and/or themselves, and sometimes they
do not remember what occured during the specific event (due to dissociation, or their loss
of contact with reality). Having experienced psychosis myself, this is something that
frequently happens during psychotic episodes. In such cases, it makes sense that the NCR
act exists. Individuals that struggle with mental disorders who happen to commit crime(s)
need more help than anything, and it is important that intervention and treatment is
implemented as early as possible. Sometimes, and more often than not, if such a
diagnosis is recognized early, individuals can get the care and treatment that they need
(medication included), and go on to live safe, healthy lives.However, questions that arise
are: How do we ensure that the individual is accurately diagnosed? What happens if they
are underdiagnosed, or misdiagnosed? How is this determined, and who determines this?
And doesn't this add to the shame and stigma surrounding mental health/illness? And
what if the individual manipulates the system, as some have in the past and continue to
do in the present? For example, a friend of a friend of mine intentionally committed a
crime (a horrible one), and this person faked a mental illness (psychosis), saying that "the
voices told him to do it", so that he would be penalized less. It is unfortunate that this can
occur. How do we prevent such situations from ocurring? Can we, if at all?I believe that
this act does, for the most part, provide adequate protections for society in general, as
those who are deemed "Not Criminally Responsible" usually have to follow specific
guidelines; for example, they require intervention, care and treatment, as well as the use
of medication. This protects the individual struggling with mental disorders, as well as
the members in society. However, if they happen to refuse this treatment (say, they refuse
to take their medication or attend therapy), then this poses a risk and danger to
themselves, as well as society.
In conclusion, as previously mentioned, this is a very complicated and complex issue.
Thus, my final answer to question one and two are both yes and no.
Thanks for reading,
Kate Morden