Deck 14: Mental Health Services: Legal and Ethical Issues

Question 1

The term "mental illness" is considered a legal concept and is defined

A)differently from state to state.
B)exactly the same in every state.
C)by the United States government.
D)by the hospital where the patient is being committed.

Answer 1

differently from state to state.

Question 2

With regard to the mentally ill,popular opinion holds that

A)the mentally ill are more dangerous than those who are not mentally ill.
B)the mentally ill are less dangerous than those who are not mentally ill.
C)normal people and mentally ill people are equally dangerous.
D)normal people are more dangerous than the mentally ill.

Answer 2

the mentally ill are more dangerous than those who are not mentally ill.

Question 3

According to mental health law,what happens if a family member or a police officer certifies that a mentally disturbed person presents a clear and immediate danger?

A)differently from state to state.
B)exactly the same in every state.
C)by the United States government.
D)by the hospital where the patient is being committed.

Answer 3

differently from state to state.

Question 4

State laws permit involuntary commitment when all of the following conditions have been met

A)that a person has a mental illness and is in need of treatment.
B)that a person is dangerous to herself/himself or others and is in need of treatment.
C)that a person is unable to care for himself/herself.
D)that a person asks to be admitted to a mental hospital.

Question 5

When facing ethical dilemmas,what must mental health professionals consider?

A)Individual patients' rights
B)Societal rights and responsibilities
C)Accuracy in diagnosis
D)All of the above

Question 6

Which of the following is a FALSE statement regarding prediction of dangerousness?

A)Mental health professionals can predict with high certainty if a particular person will become violent.
B)Generally speaking, people with a previous history of violence are more likely to be dangerous than individuals without a past history of violence.
C)Generally speaking, substance abusers are more likely to be violent than those individuals without a history of drug or alcohol dependence.
D)Research suggests that mental health professionals are better at determining relative risk than determining dangerousness on a case-by-case basis.

Question 7

When parens patriae is used to take a mentally ill individual into custody,it means that the state is acting as a

A)criminal enforcer.
B)surrogate parent.
C)legal advisor.
D)social worker.

Question 8

The popular opinion that the mentally ill are more dangerous than those who are not mentally ill is probably the result of

A)data from medical records.
B)public knowledge of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.
C)media reports.
D)statistics on homicide and other violent crimes.

Question 9

The formal process of civil commitment usually begins with a petition directed to a(n)

A)attorney.
B)psychiatrist.
C)judge.
D)prosecutor.

Question 10

Which of the following is(are)the primary issue(s)in mental health law today?

A)The rights of mentally ill individuals
B)The rights of society to be protected
C)Both a and b
D)Neither a nor b

Question 11

In the textbook case of Arthur,who was diagnosed with brief psychotic disorder after talking about his secret plans both to save the world's starving children and to break into a foreign embassy,his parents had no power to have him involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital because he was

A)diagnosed incorrectly.
B)not considered dangerous to himself or others.
C)no longer covered by their health insurance.
D)An adult.

Question 12

Receiving a DSM-5 diagnosis means that the person

A)is considered dangerous.
B)has a condition that fits the legal definition of mental illness.
C)must be either civilly or criminally committed.
D)none of the above

Question 13

When a person is the subject of civil commitment proceedings,the rights and protections provided by law include all of the following

A)notification that civil commitment proceedings are taking place.
B)required presence during the proceedings.
C)representation by an attorney.
D)selection of a judge who will determine the outcome of the case.

Question 14

Which of the following is/are specified in civil commitment laws?

A)When a person can be legally declared to have a mental illness
B)When a person can be placed in a mental hospital for treatment
C)Both a and b
D)Neither a nor b

Question 15

Authorities can use police power to hold criminal offenders if they are a threat to society.However,if the power called parens patriae is used to take someone into custody,it means that

A)a person has already committed a crime.
B)a person is not acting in his or her own best interest.
C)the safety of the community is in jeopardy.
D)individual rights are more important than societal rights.

Question 16

In the late 19th century the enactment of civil commitment laws resulted in

A)only a few cases of involuntary commitment to mental hospitals.
B)people being committed who were not mentally ill.
C)wives committing their husbands to mental hospitals at a higher rate than the reverse.
D)an increase in public knowledge of accurate diagnosis of mental illness

Question 17

In 1976,Kenneth Donaldson,who was not considered dangerous,successfully sued the director of the hospital in which he had been confined for 15 years and where he had received

A)SSRI medication.
B)ECT.
C)no treatment.
D)abusive treatment.

Question 18

In some states,the legal definition of mental illness excludes

A)mental retardation and substance-related disorders.
B)personality disorders and gender dysphoria.
C)posttraumatic stress disorder.

Question 19

Which of the following statements does NOT correctly describe the circumstances of mentally ill people prior to the late 19th century?

A)The community often took on the care of the mentally ill.
B)Family members often cared for a mentally ill person at home.
C)Mentally ill people received specialized care in psychiatric hospitals.
D)Often, mentally ill people were left to care for themselves.

Question 20

What is a critical determinant of the civil commitment process?

A)Substance abuse
B)Dangerousness
C)Mental health history
D)None of these

Question 21

In recent years,the increasing trend has been to _________ people with severe mental illness rather than to ______________.

A)Incarcerate; provide treatment.
B)Provide treatment; incarcerate.
C)Diagnose; stigmatize.
D)Raise funds for; keep them in long term care.

Question 22

During the 1970s and 1980s,the trend toward deinstitutionalization resulted in

A)an increased number of patients in psychiatric institutions.
B)a decreased number of patients in psychiatric institutions.
C)better treatment of institutionalized mentally ill patients.
D)decreased numbers of homeless mentally ill people.

Question 23

Beginning in the mid-1970s,authorities were unable to confine nondangerous mentally ill patients,a policy that emphasized

A)individual freedom.
B)society's rights.
C)both individual freedom and society's rights
D)neither individual freedom nor  society's rights

Question 24

According to the 1975 case of O'Connor v.Donaldson,a nondangerous mentally ill individual

A)must be given medication to control the possibility of dangerous tendencies developing.
B)cannot be confined in an institution if capable of functioning safely on the outside.
C)must be confined in an institution in case a violent episode occurs.
D)can be released from an institution only if relatives agree to provide care.

Question 25

The conflicting interests over civil commitment were illustrated by the 1988 case of Joyce Brown,a homeless woman diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia,who was

A)medicated against her will.
B)hospitalized involuntarily.
C)dangerous.
D)suicidal.

Question 26

Which of the following statements accurately describes the outcome of the policy known as deinstitutionalization?

A)Previously hospitalized patients ultimately received adequate care in most communities.
B)Mental healthcare systems were reformed and funding was reallocated to community mental health centers.
C) ​Both a and b.
D) Neither a nor b.

Question 27

The "criminalization" of the mentally ill in the 1960s and 70s refers to

A)Passing of legislation that made it illegal to be mentally ill without actively seeking care
B)A sharp rise in the number of illegal activities committed by the mentally ill
C)Mentally ill individuals not receiving needed care due to restrictions on involuntary commitment, eventually committing crimes because of their behavior
D)All of the above.

Question 28

Which of the goals of deinstitutionalization have been accomplished?

A)The closing of large psychiatric hospitals
B)The creation of a network of community mental health centers
C)Both a and b
D)Neither a nor b

Question 29

In the 1970s and 1980s,tightened restrictions on involuntary commitment resulted in

A)the criminal justice system becoming responsible for mentally ill people.
B)fewer mentally ill patients living in the community.
C)family members having increased access to treatment services for their loved ones.
D)mentally ill patients receiving much-needed mental health services.

Question 30

During the 1980s,homelessness was blamed on strict civil commitment criteria and deinstitutionalization,two policies that included all of the following

A)limits on conditions for involuntary commitment.
B)limits placed on how long a mentally ill patient could stay in a hospital.
C)the closing of large psychiatric hospitals.
D)increased numbers of mental health professionals working in psychiatric hospitals.

Question 31

The term transinstitutionalization refers to the movement of people with severe mental illness out of psychiatric hospitals and into any or all of the following

A)jails and prisons.
B)nursing homes.
C)group residences.
D)community health centers.

Question 32

In response to the strict civil commitment laws of the 1970s and 1980s,some states enacted legal reforms that

A)shortened hospital stays.
B)reduced the number of admissions.
C)changed the status under which patients were committed.
D)eliminated the doctrine of parens patriae.

Question 33

A major problem with deinstitutionalization was

A)people with mental illness were moved from mental hospitals to jails.
B)traninstituionalization occurred.
C)people with mental illness were moved from mental hospitals to nursing homes.
D)all of the above

Question 34

According to the authors of your textbook,the periodic changes in the laws regarding civil commitment are a sign of a

A)society that has no idea of what to do with this issue.
B)hospital system that is ineffective in treating uncooperative patients.
C)healthy system responding to the limits of previous decisions.
D)prior mistake that has now been successfully corrected.

Question 35

Approximately what percentage of homeless people have severe mental problems such as a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia?

A)5
B)15
C)30
D)60

Question 36

In Supreme Court rulings such as O'Connor v.Donaldson and Addington v.Texas,it was argued that the criteria for involuntary commitment should include

A)dangerousness.
B)mental illness.
C)both of these
D)neither of these

Question 37

In the 1970s and 1980s,tightened restrictions on involuntary commitment resulted in

A)the criminal justice system becoming responsible for mentally ill people.
B)fewer mentally ill patients living in the community.
C)family members having increased access to treatment services for their loved ones.
D)mentally ill patients receiving much-needed mental health services.

Question 38

What ethnic group with mental illness is most likely to be homeless?

A)Asian Americans
B)Native Americans
C)African Americans
D)Hispanic Americans

Question 39

In the late 1970s and early 1980s,legal reforms enacted by some states to make civil commitment easier resulted in

A)a decrease in the number of hospitalized mental patients.
B)more voluntary than involuntary admissions.
C)more patients admitted under parens patriae powers.
D)shorter hospital stays for mentally ill patients.

Question 40

Provisions of the Supreme Court decision in Addington v.Texas (1979)included all of the following that

A)more than just the promise of improving one's quality of life is required for involuntary commitment.
B)if nondangerous people can survive in the community with the help of others, they should not be detained against their will.
C)needing treatment or having a grave disability is sufficient to commit someone with a mental illness.
D)the government has limited ability to commit individuals unless they are dangerous.

Question 41

The first major consideration on the clinical utility axis is feasibility,which asks all of the following questions ,

A)"Will patients accept the intervention?"
B)"Will patients comply with the requirements?"
C)"Has research shown the treatment to be effective?"
D)"Is the treatment relatively easy to administer?"

Question 42

Which of the following statements does NOT apply to the American Law Institute study of the insanity defense?

A)Mentally ill people must be distinguished from those without mental disorders.
B)The threat of punishment will usually deter a mentally ill person from committing a crime.
C)Mentally ill people who commit crimes should be treated for their illness until improved and then released from confinement.
D)Mentally ill people who cannot control their behavior must be shielded from legal consequences.

Question 43

In the case of Durham v.United States (1954),the criteria for responsibility for determining criminal behavior were broadened to include

A)mental disease.
B)mental defect.
C)both a and b
D)neither a nor b

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT related to the M'Naghten ruling made by an English court more than 150 years ago?

A)It concerns a person's mental state at the time a crime is committed.
B)It states that individuals are not responsible for criminal behavior if they do not know what they are doing.
C)It states that individuals are not responsible for their behavior if they don't know that what they are doing is wrong.
D)It states that an individual should only be held responsible for their cognitive functioning and not their emotional functioning

Question 45

In the American legal system,the concept of diminished capacity is used to

A)keep mentally ill people from being discharged from mental hospitals.
B)assess the responsibility of people with mental illness.
C)evaluate the effects of medical treatments for schizophrenia.
D)determine the intelligence level of an individual accused of criminal behavior.

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT a question that addresses the issues of civil (involuntary)commitment?

A)Should a mentally ill person be involuntarily committed if he or she is not dangerous but is in need of treatment?
B)Should a mentally ill person be civilly committed if he or she has been convicted of a crime?
C)Should a mentally ill person be involuntarily committed at the request of family or relatives who believe it is in the person's best interest?
D)If a person is mentally ill, unable to care for oneself, and in need of help, should the law allow for involuntary commitment?

Question 47

If an individual accidentally injures another person,he or she cannot be convicted of a crime because there was no "criminal intent," a theoretical concept known legally as

A)mens rea.
B)actus rea.
C)sociopathy.
D)NGRI

Question 48

Andrew has been accused of committing a crime and is currently in a mental health facility.He will stay there until it is determined that he is fit to participate in legal proceedings against him.The commitment process by which Andrew is being held is called

A)civil (involuntary) commitment.
B)criminal commitment.
C)parens patriae.
D)mens rea.

Question 49

The "sexual psychopath laws" that were passed in the mid-1900s provided for

A)an indefinite period of hospitalization for sex offenders.
B)an indefinite prison term for sex offenders.
C)a loophole that allowed pedophiles and rapists to circumvent punishment
D)both a and b

Question 50

In the United States,people convicted of criminal behavior

A)always receive a prison sentence.
B)always are considered responsible for their behavior.
C)sometimes are not considered responsible for their behavior.
D)sometime have the right to legal representation

Question 51

The "sexual psychopath laws" that were passed in the mid-1900s provided for

A)an indefinite period of hospitalization for sex offenders.
B)an indefinite prison term for sex offenders.
C)a loophole that allowed pedophiles and rapists to circumvent punishment
D)both a and b

Question 52

According to the text,the legal concept of mens rea generally refers to

A)a "guilty mind."
B)criminal intent.
C)one's mental state.
D)all of the above

Question 53

Which of the following was NOT a provision of the American Law Institute recommendations regarding "diminished capacity"?

A)A mentally ill criminal may not actually have criminal intent.
B)A mental illness could impair the ability to understand that one's behavior is criminal.
C)Proof of either mens rea or actus rea is sufficient to convict someone of a crime.
D)Mentally ill people who commit crimes may not be responsible for their behavior.

Question 54

The outcome of Miguel's trial resulted in a finding of "not guilty by reason of insanity." According to criminal law,Miguel now will be sent to

A)prison.
B)a psychiatric hospital.
C)a community mental health center.
D)an insane asylum.

Question 55

Andrea is being held in a psychiatric hospital after being found guilty of criminal behavior.She is in this facility instead of in jail because

A)she has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
B)she has been found unable to participate in legal proceedings against her.
C)either a or b
D)neither a nor b

Question 56

African American Medicaid recipients are _____ likely than Caucasian recipients to receive _________.

A)More likely; effective antipsychotic medication.
B)Less likely; effective antipsychotic medication.
C)Just as likely; care under parens patriae powers.
D)Just as likely; a criminal punishment related to mental illness behaviors. 

Question 57

Although the Durham ruling in 1954 allowed mental health professionals to present information about an accused person's mental state,it became apparent that

A)no mental health professional wanted to participate in court proceedings.
B)mental health professionals could not reliably assess whether mental illness caused criminal behavior.
C)judges were reluctant to include testimony from mental health professionals in their decisions.
D)juries were reluctant to consider testimony from mental health professionals.

Question 58

The insanity defense is was originally based on a historic case in England involving a man named

A)Durham.
B)Addington.
C)M'Naghten.
D)Tory.

Question 59

In 1979,public opinion turned against the use of the insanity defense when it was used successfully to justify such behaviors as

A)child abuse.
B)stealing cars.
C)writing bad checks.
D)vandalism.

Question 60

Criteria for the insanity defense were developed by a group from the American Law Institute that included all of the following

A)attorneys.
B)judges.
C)psychologists.
D)law scholars.

Question 61

"Problem-solving courts" may be more helpful both to individuals with mental health problems who break the law and to society because the they

A)are not based on an adversarial system.
B)are based on an adversarial system.
C)provide for treatment and not punishment.
D)put the interests of the accused above the interests of society.

Question 62

John has committed a nonviolent crime and has been judged NGRI.According to statistical data,it is likely that he will be spending

A)a long time in prison.
B)a shorter time in a mental hospital than he would have spent in prison.
C)a short time in prison.
D)a longer time in a mental hospital than he would have spent in prison.

Question 63

What was the public reaction to the 1981 jury verdict that found John Hinckley,the attempted assassin of President Reagan,not guilty by reason of insanity?

A)Acceptance
B)Outrage
C)Support
D)Disinterest

Question 64

Although surveys have shown that the public estimates that the insanity defense is used in 37 percent of felony cases,the actual figure is about ____ percent.

A)1
B)10
C)57
D)88

Question 65

As indicated by surveys of the general population,what percentage of people perceives that the insanity defense is used too often?

A)20
B)45
C)70
D)90

Question 66

Several years ago,Mark was arrested for participating in a crime.Since then,he has been confined to a mental hospital,even though he was given a prison sentence.Mark is periodically evaluated to see if he is still mentally ill.If it is determined that he is no longer mentally ill,Mark will then be incarcerated to serve out his prison sentence.From your knowledge of mental health and the law,you would correctly state that Mark was originally found

A)guilty
B)GBMI.
C)NGRI.
D)incompetent to stand trial.

Question 67

In comparison to people judged NGRI,research studies have shown that those who are judged GBMI

A)are more likely to be imprisoned.
B)receive shorter sentences.
C)get mental health services more frequently than other mentally ill prisoners.
D)spend more time in mental hospitals and less time in prisons.

Question 68

The term "therapeutic jurisprudence" refers to using what we know about behavior change to

A)punish those who break the law.
B)help people in trouble with the law.
C)protect society from dangerous individuals.
D)provide therapy to incarcerated individuals.

Question 69

In 1994,the Supreme Court upheld Montana's abolition of the insanity defense.Since then,both Idaho and Utah as well as Montana have adopted a version of the GBMI verdict,in which the accused

A)remains permanently in a psychiatric facility.
B)is imprisoned but is assured of receiving mental health services.
C)is imprisoned but is provided with mental health services only if they are available.
D)can choose either hospitalization or imprisonment.

Question 70

When Congress passed the Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984,it made successful use of the insanity defense

A)more difficult for all individuals.
B)easier for any individual.
C)more difficult for the mentally ill only.
D)easier for the non-mentally ill.

Question 71

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding public perception of the insanity defense?

A)The public underestimates how often the insanity defense is used in criminal cases.
B)The public overestimates how often the insanity defense is successfully used.
C)The public overestimates the length of hospitalization of those who are found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI).
D)The public underestimates how often people judged NGRI are set free.

Question 72

The public perception that people with mental illness "beat the rap" as a result of being judged NGRI is

A)incorrect.
B)correct.
C)true in murder cases only.
D)true for males who commit crimes but not for females who commit crimes.

Question 73

Major changes in the criteria for the insanity defense were made after

A)President Reagan sponsored legislative changes.
B)the Hinckley verdict in the early 1980s.
C)both a and b
D)neither a nor b

Question 74

In an attempt to replace the insanity plea,some states now use the "guilty but mentally ill" (GBMI)verdict,in which mentally ill criminals are usually

A)treated for their mental illnesses.
B)punished for committing crimes.
C)both a and b
D)neither a nor b

Question 75

Cases in which the insanity defense has been used include those of all the following individuals

A)Charles Manson.
B)Jeffrey Dahmer.
C)Lee Harvey Oswald.
D)Ted Kaczynski.

Question 76

What reason did John Hinckley give for his attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1981?

A)He had an obsession about becoming president and thought he could be elected if President Reagan were dead.
B)He was obsessed with actress Jodie Foster and wanted to impress her.
C)He was anxious about homelessness and poverty in the world and thought Reagan wasn't doing enough to help poor people.
D)He thought that President Reagan was about to kill him, so he acted in self-defense.

Question 77

Several years ago,Mary was arrested for participating in a crime.Since then,she has been confined in a psychiatric hospital.Mary is periodically evaluated to see if she is still mentally ill.When it is determined that she is no longer mentally ill,Mary will be released.From your knowledge of mental health and the law,you would correctly state that the original verdict in Mary's case was

A)NGRI.
B)GBMI.
C)guilty
D)none of these

Question 78

A TV reporter is interviewing students about the insanity plea.If these students are similar to about 90 percent of the population,they will agree with which of the following statements?

A)"The insanity defense is not used in enough cases. Too many mentally ill people are in jail instead of in hospitals."
B)"Too many people escape responsibility for their crimes by pleading insanity."
C)"If someone successfully pleads NGRI, he or she will spend more time in jail than in a mental hospital."
D)"Mentally ill people are carrying too much legal burden from their conditions."

Question 79

Following the not guilty by reason of insanity verdict for John Hinckley in 1981,several states considered

A)abolishing the insanity defense.
B)using the insanity defense in every case.
C)using the insanity defense only for male criminals.
D)releasing all mentally ill patients who had successfully pleaded insanity.

Question 80

In contrast to the NGRI verdict,the GBMI verdict usually specifies all of the following that

A)the accused be given a prison sentence just as if there were no mental illness present.
B)the accused may be either hospitalized or imprisoned, as determined by legal authorities.
C)the accused may be either hospitalized or imprisoned, as determined by medical authorities.
D)if the person recovers from the mental illness before the sentence has passed, he or she can be confined to prison for the maximum length of the term.