Attitudes of Health and Mental Health Professionals, and Police Staff towards Mentally Ill Offenders in Greece.

Abstract

Mentally ill offenders face stigma, being perceived as both dangerous and unpredictable. This leads to social discrimination, which causes devaluation, distancing, and unequal treatment towards them. Critical and dismissive attitudes of healthcare professionals and police toward these patients undermine their care, treatment, and prospects for rehabilitation. This study investigated the attitudes and stereotypes of health professionals and police officers who frequently interact with mentally ill offenders. Participants completed three scales: Attitudes Toward Mentally Ill Offenders (ATMIO), Community Attitudes Toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI), and Familiarity Level Scale. The sample included 523 professionals, 283 health professionals, 139 mental health professionals, and 101 police officers, with an average age of 41.4 years and 40.3% having over 20 years of experience. Results showed that all groups displayed negative attitudes toward mentally ill offenders, with little variation between them. This highlights the need for professionals to recognize their biases when caring for this population.