Question

?What factors could increase the likelihood that a psychopathic individual will engage in criminal behavior?

Answer 1

In itself, mental illness is not found to be enough to increase the chances of individuals engaging in crime. Since individuals are more likely to commit a crime if they showed signs of substance abuse, mental health patients are under great risk because they are more likely to begin abusing substances than the other people in the community. Deprivation is another factor that puts people at a higher risk of committing crimes, and also at a higher risk of developing mental health issues. Low SES individuals are therefore vulnerable to both, mental illness and criminal behaviour and therefore it is difficult to ascertain what factor leads to what.