Deinstitutionalization of the Mentally Ill in New York

Urban areas throughout the United States struggle with the decrease in psychiatric hospital capacity rates and deinstitutionalization. The patient care and space in psychiatric hospitals has dramatically decreased over the years and inpatient care is limited to specific cases. Urban areas are especially limited to psychiatric care and patients are often deinstitutionalized for community care. Criminologists and Sociologists hypothesize deinstitutionalization may result in increased rates of homelessness, criminal acts, violence, and destructive behavior.

Impact
New York is affected by deinstitutionalization because more mentally ill patients that desperately need round-the-clock constant care are sent out to the streets. It is difficult for mentally ill individuals to find steady work in order to support themselves or a family. These individuals may become homeless and live on the streets and/or in a local shelter. Mentally ill individuals not receiving appropriate care may begin exhibiting signs of violence and troublesome behavior. The New York police department struggle maintaining peace on the streets due to the destructive behavior from homeless individuals with a mental illness. According to Markowitz's article, "A study in New York found that the percentage of patients with prior arrests increased from 15 percent in the 1946 to 1948 period to 32 percent in 1969 and to 40 percent by 1975." (2006, Markowitz). Organizations and businesses in New York are also affected because the mentally ill may disrupt their daily routine. A homeless mentally ill individual may attempt to break into a local store to steal items, money, or find a warm place to sleep. Profits are lost because these businesses suffer and police officers spend a lot of time trying to prevent from similar future crimes. Jails are also overcrowded due to deinstitutionalization because of criminal acts. Markowitz's article reports, "There are now more persons with mental illness in jails and prisons than in psychiatric hospitals." (2006, Markowitz). People may fear the homeless that are mentally ill because of such high crime rates. Instead of feeling safe walking down the street alone, families may steer clear of "bad" areas that are prone to the homeless.

Resolutions
The sky rocket in mental patients acting out within the community affects business owners, visitors, and tax payers. There is discussion whether it would be more cost effective to open additional psychiatric facilities to treat patients before releasing them to the community. The community will also be safer if mentally ill patients are kept in facilities so they do not harm others. The New York police department is on high alert with mentally ill individuals and keeps a close eye on possible suspects. Markowitz states authorities "take aggressive policing approaches" to avoid any harm to the community. (2006, Markowitz). The New York police department hopes to avoid further conflict between the community and mentally ill patients by taking more aggressive approaches.

Additions
Appropriately treating mentally ill individuals is a difficult task but results in a positive impact on communities. The struggle to maintain and add new treatment centers throughout the United States is a major obstacle our Government faces. Where is the money going to come from to fund the facilities? Tax payers already pay a lot for government programs. However, the money spent on paying police officers, investigators, and prisons increases because the mentally ill are deinstitutionalized. I think it is great police departments are on high alert and take more aggressive approaches to preventing mentally ill crime, but it would be beneficial if facilities were able to treat more patients. I think New York and other communities should push for better treatment options available to the mentally ill. Additional facilities need to be opened and better funded. I believe communities would be a safer place if the mentally ill were given better treatment options. I'm not sure how realistic and feasible it is to open additional facilities, but it is something that needs to be examined.

References
Markowitz, F. E. (2006). Psychiatric hospital capacity, homelessness, and crime and arrest rates. Criminology. Vol. 44, Issue 1, pp. 45-72. Retrieved June 24, 2007 from EBSCOhost.