Research the insanity defense and how it is applied. Which version of the defense do you think is the most appropriate? How well is our society handling mentally ill individuals who commit crimes? If you could change how we handle these individuals, what would you do? https://www.prisonpolicy.org/research/mental_health/#:~:text=Percent%20of%20people%20in%20state,care%20while%20incarcerated%3A%2066%25%20%2B
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Analyzing the Insanity Defense and Mental Health Treatment in the Criminal Justice System
The insanity defense serves as a legal mechanism for individuals with mental illness who have committed crimes to be acquitted or found not guilty by reason of insanity. The application of the insanity defense varies across jurisdictions, with different standards and criteria determining its validity. One commonly used standard is the M’Naghten Rule, which focuses on whether the defendant knew the nature and quality of their actions or understood that what they were doing was wrong at the time of the offense.
Another widely recognized standard is the Model Penal Code (MPC) test, which considers whether the defendant lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of their conduct or to conform their behavior to the requirements of the law due to mental disease or defect. The MPC test provides a more nuanced approach by incorporating both cognitive and volitional elements in assessing mental state at the time of the offense.
In determining which version of the insanity defense is most appropriate, a comprehensive evaluation of individual cases and mental health assessments is crucial. The MPC test, with its consideration of cognitive and volitional impairments, offers a more holistic framework for assessing mental capacity and culpability in criminal cases involving mental illness. By incorporating nuanced criteria and expert psychiatric evaluations, the MPC test can better capture the complexities of mental health conditions and their impact on behavior.
Despite legal provisions such as the insanity defense, our society still faces challenges in adequately addressing the needs of mentally ill individuals who become involved in the criminal justice system. The overrepresentation of individuals with mental health conditions in prisons and jails underscores systemic failures in providing appropriate mental health treatment and support services. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, approximately 66% of people in state prisons have a mental health problem, highlighting the urgent need for improved mental health care within correctional settings.
To enhance how society handles mentally ill individuals who commit crimes, a multifaceted approach is needed that prioritizes mental health diversion programs, community-based treatment options, and specialized court interventions. Implementing mental health courts, crisis intervention teams, and supportive housing programs can offer alternatives to incarceration for individuals with mental illness, promoting rehabilitation and recovery over punitive measures.
Furthermore, investing in mental health education, outreach, and early intervention can help prevent individuals from entering the criminal justice system due to untreated mental health conditions. By fostering collaboration between mental health professionals, law enforcement agencies, and social service providers, communities can create a more supportive and responsive system that addresses the intersecting needs of mental health and criminal justice.
In conclusion, reforming how we handle mentally ill individuals involved in the criminal justice system requires a comprehensive strategy that integrates legal safeguards, mental health services, and community resources. By advocating for evidence-based practices, trauma-informed care, and diversionary programs, we can promote a more compassionate and effective approach to supporting individuals with mental illness while upholding public safety and justice.
