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EPILEPSY AMONG PERSONS CONVICTED OF CRIMES

NCJ Number
66279
Journal
Journal of the American Medical Association Volume: 239 Issue: 25 Dated: (1978) Pages: 2694-2695
Author(s)
M W VANALLEN
Date Published
1978
Length
2 pages
Annotation
EPILEPTICS SUFFER AN UNDERPRIVILEGED SOCIAL STATUS AND REQUIRE ENHANCED MEDICAL MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING, AND BETTER TREATMENT BY THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS.
Abstract
THIS ESSAY CHARACTERIZED THE PLIGHT OF EPILEPTICS AND PLEADS FOR THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALITY OF ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES. A STUDY HAS SHOWN A GREATER PREVALENCE, OF EPILEPSY IN JAILS AND PRISONS (19 PERCENT AMONG 12,030 INMATES) THAN THAT ESTIMATED FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION. THE ARTICLE SUGGESTS THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE EASE WITH WHICH EPILEPSY CAN BE DETECTED UNDER INSTITUTIONALIZED CONDITIONS; IT QUESTIONS ASSUMED CORRELATIONS BETWEEN EPILEPSY AND CRIME. THE OCCURRENCE OF ORGANIZED ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR ATTRIBUTABLE DIRECTLY TO EPILEPSY IS RARE, AND CONVICTION FOR AN IDENTIFIED CRIME IS EVEN MORE SO. NEVERTHELESS, DUE TO BEHAVIOR OFTEN PERCEIVED BY SOCIETY AS HOSTILE, EPILEPTICS ARE MORE LIKELY TO FIND THEMSELVES IN SITUATIONS REQUIRING COURT APPEARANCE. MOREOVER, SOCIAL OSTRACISM FREQUENTLY RESULTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES, ALCOHOLISM, OR DRUG ABUSE, WHICH MAY LEAD TO PRISON. EPILEPTICS ARE MORE POORLY SERVED MEDICALLY AND SOCIALLY THAN ANY OTHER LARGE CATEGORY OF PATIENTS. RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA AND THE COMMISSION FOR THE CONTROL OF EPILEPSY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALL FOR EQUALITY OF TREATMENT AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING.

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