CCJ 3560 Sociology of Mental Illness

This course explores mental illness from a sociological perspective. The course critically reviews the social factors (e.g. race, class, gender, and age) that predict and explain the diagnosis of mental illness, and examines how the status and treatment of people with mental illness are affected by their social characteristics. The role of mental illness in the criminal justice system is also discussed. Major topics of the course include the social history of mental illness, social factors in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, the stigma of mental illness, legal definitions of insanity, the conditions of confinement for the mentally ill, and mental illness and the death penalty. Course offered Fall and Spring Semesters. Prerequisite(s): SOC 1010 OR SOC 1020 Cross Listed Course(s): SOC 3650
Credits: 3.0