Gotham/Batman Universe: Does Arkham accept minors/minimum security patients?

[Martyin]

Awesome Batman geeks I need your help!


Would a character under the age of 18 be admitted into Arkham? Does Arkham treat patients that aren't criminally insane? Is Arkham more like a hospital, or a prison, or is it up to the writers?


I've always wondered what would happen to those residents of Gotham that began needing help from a mental institution but have conditions that are no where near as severe enough to be qualified as "Criminally Insane". Usually I've assumed that Arkham was a huge hospital, with numerous departments that divide patients appropriately (with the criminally insane being their big "hook" in advertisement), but often times in the media I've seen the place depicted more like a prison.


Is this more of a detail that could easily be decided between two RP partners for the sake of a story, or is there a clear distinction that I'm missing?


I'm working on a character sheet for a couple of OC's I've had for a few years, and in the past he's always been a patient at Arkham in Gotham City. But if it's just unheard of for a minor (especially a young child) to be treated at Arkham, I'm gonna need help to know for sure so I can update his history appropriately.

 

[White Masquerade]

Not a Batman fan (Superman all the way!), but Arkham is certainly not a hospital. It is an insane asylum. It is to rehabilitate inmates with extreme mental illness. It looks like a prison, because a large number of the patients are really, really, really, dangerous criminals. If your character is only mildly insane, I doubt they would be sent to Arkham. If your character is under 18, but dangerously insane, then yes, they'd probably still be sent to Arkham.


Being "criminally insane" doesn't matter. If you are very insane and very dangerous, you go to Arkham; criminal or not.

 

[J0ker]

[QUOTE="Ethan Unken]Awesome Batman geeks I need your help!

[/QUOTE]
Oh, oh, that's me!

Would a character under the age of 18 be admitted into Arkham?

To my knowledge, yes, age does not matter.

Does Arkham treat patients that aren't criminally insane?

Generally no, but I have seen some writers make an exception. This is generally justified as there being no other place to store supervillains such as Ra's, Penguin or Catwoman.

Is Arkham more like a hospital, or a prison, or is it up to the writers?

Both. It is an extremely secure mental ward with security guards and cells.

I've always wondered what would happen to those residents of Gotham that began needing help from a mental institution but have conditions that are no where near as severe enough to be qualified as "Criminally Insane". Usually I've assumed that Arkham was a huge hospital, with numerous departments that divide patients appropriately (with the criminally insane being their big "hook" in advertisement), but often times in the media I've seen the place depicted more like a prison.

They'd be treated at another facility. Arkham is only for extremely dangerous criminals.


If you have any other questions, I'm always here.