DrDowling Is a Clinical Psychologist Who Is Interested in the Link

Essay

Dr.Dowling is a clinical psychologist who is interested in the link between mental illness and criminal activity.She gets IRB permission to study patients at all five inpatient/residential mental health facilities in her state.There are 4,307 patients currently living in these facilities.She asks patients whether they have ever been arrested for a crime and whether they have ever been convicted of a crime.She collects a sample size of 1,369.She finds that 27% (+/- 3%)report having been arrested for a crime but that only 13% (+/- 3%)have been convicted of a crime.

-Dr.Dowling is interviewed by a journalist about the findings of her study.The journalist asks her to explain what it means that "27% of the sample (+/- 3%)report having been arrested for a crime."