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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   3228 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 21, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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If crime is ultimately a mental disorder, can it be treated by medicating criminals with antipsychotics?

There are a lot of crimes that are unrelated to mental disorders, such as:

  • Violating laws because they are against your moral principles/religious beliefs (such as polygamy or smoking marijuana).
  • White collar crimes that are roughly: Opportunity (e.g. control failures) + financial pressure + rationalization.
  • Violating laws because it is economically advantageous (such as selling drugs, or not reporting cash income on your taxes).

Uh.

How many mental disorders are treated with antipsychotics?

I’ve read of the greatest predictors of criminality is having a sustained abnormally low heart rate during a stress-inducing task. If this is the case you may be able to ameliorate a chunk of criminality with anxiogenic substances (caffeine)

I found that study. Key correlations were in agreement with literature relating lower HR to greater physical aggression (r=−.17) and hostility (r=−.17)

Negligible results published for a headline. Not one of the greatest predictors of criminality.

So where this gets interesting is that all of that remains true for ...... Special Operations personnel in the military. Lower heart rate during stressful events, higher baseline physical aggression and hostility.

There's a common saying in that community that "the Army/Navy/Marines kept me out of prison." It's true. A lot of those folks have the same temperament as Appalachian outlaw types ... they just got the right kind of camo on.

There are many studies on it, not one. I’ll have to dig up the one I am referring to.

Probably much of it can if you can ensure the criminals keep taking their dose. Of course a lot of the effect would be from the general lethargy inducing side effects, so good luck separating that from the ”direct” action.

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