A Public Policy Official Reads That the Rates of Violence

question 12

Essay

A public policy official reads that the rates of violence are five times higher among patients with serious mental illness than among the general population. Based on this evidence, the public policy official recommends legislation that would allow patients with serious illness to be detained for longer periods than other people when arrested for minor offences. What is the scientific evidence suggesting that such a policy is not justified?

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Definitions:

Variable Interval

A schedule of reinforcement where a response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed, which encourages steady response rates.

Responding

The act of giving a reaction or answer to a stimulus or question.

Reinforced

Strengthened or made more effective, often through repeated action or the application of an external stimulus.

Variable-Ratio

In behavioral psychology, a schedule of reinforcement where a response is rewarded after an unpredictable number of responses.