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Mental Illness In Prison Essay

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Mentally ill offenders in prison are a major problem plaguing correctional facilities in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 56 percent of state prisons, 35 percent of federal prisons, and 64 percent of jailed inmates within the correctional population have symptoms or recent history of a mental health problem which include such issues as; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression that is two to four ties above the general population (Human Rights Watch, 2009). Offenders with mental health issues who are committed into correctional facilities has a major impact on the operation of the facility, because they are not equip to handle and they are exposed to deplorable conditions, inadequate mental health services, and segregation from the general …show more content…

Almost 53% of inmate with a mental illness condition in state prisons have been convicted of a violent crime, compared to 40% of other inmates and 30% have committed a violent crime that is locally jailed, as opposed to 20% of other inmates (Mental Health America, 2015).
Several policies have been enacted to protect mentally ill offenders who have enter the criminal justice system. The Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 authorized the Attorney General to award grants to states and local governments, India tribes, and other organizations which are eligible, to plan and implement programs that: 1) promoted public safety by ensuring access to mental health treatment and other treatment services for individuals with mental illness; and 2) overseen cooperatively by a criminal justice agency, juvenile justice agency, or mental health court, and a mental health agency.

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This episode of PBS Frontline focuses on the growing problem of the enormous mentally ill criminal population in prisons and jails. The viewer is also provided with insight on the challenges and difficulties many of the released mentally ill face that often lead them back into incarceration. As the numbers of mentally ill offenders increase, much is debated regarding terms of release and the deinstitutionalization of the 1970’s. One of the main focuses of this episode was how many mentally ill criminals often find themselves re-incarcerated. Those that make parole or temporary supervision are usually better off being that they have someone to make sure their lives are organized.

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A major issue is with our justice system is either ignoring or don’t recognize convicts with mental health issues, which leads to lengthier convictions and higher rates of recidivism. Ignoring or not recognizing the convict’s mental health issues just gets them incarcerated for a longer time and they never receive the right treatment to get better. Due to our country’s prison not having the right or proper treatment for the mentally ill will make it harder for them to adjust when the release back into society. One of the main reasons why our prisons don’t have the correct treatment centers for the mentally ill is because it just not affordable to have non-prison facilities on the prison campus. One solution that has been tried is to create a “supermax” prison, which is facility that known for segregation, lockdown, or solitary confinement.

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Incarceration has become a revolving door for the mentally ill that arguably began with deinstitutionalization. The facility closes, the mentally ill individual is out on the street, individual acts in a perceivably deviant manner, get arrested, jailed, released and round and round they continue until they end up in a prison or on death row. The point of view of a 30-year law enforcement veteran is a welcome sight. Rather than continue to be part of a problem Kincaid has taken initiative to help create a program to divert the mentally ill from the system and get them help. In the first 18 months of the program, it was reported that 584 people were diverted from potential arrest.

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602 Words | 3 Pages

Their are around 500,000 mentally ill people that are put away in prisons and jails. In the documentary “The New Asylums”,Ohio's state prison system reveals the issues that are ongoing with mentally ill inmates. The major problem we have today is that no one is taking care of the people of these people. Most mentally ill people live by themselves with no family or friends to take care of them and they are off their medications. The mentally ill come in to prison on non violent offenses such as disturbing the peace, trespassing, etc. After leaving mental hospitals they usually end up on the streets and become homeless.

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The Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004: Problems and Prospects by Christine M. Litschgea and Michael G. Vaughn, is a research article whose focus is three-fold. First, the researchers review the literature available on the elements that have contributed to the increasing levels of incarcerated persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Secondly, they analyze the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 (MIOTCRA), and assess if this law can reduce problems associated with incarcerated persons with SMI.

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Furthermore, the failure to address mental health needs within the prison system exacerbates these issues. The Equal Justice Initiative reveals that more than half of all Americans in prison or jail have a mental illness. Prison officials often fail to provide correct treatment, resorting to physical force and solitary confinement, which can worsen mental health problems. The Equal Justice Initiative reveals, “More than half of all Americans in prison or jail have a mental illness. Prison officials often fail to provide appropriate treatment for people whose behavior is difficult to manage, instead resorting to physical force and solitary confinement, which can aggravate mental health problems.”

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A major demographic of people that are being treated unfairly within the justice system are the mentally ill. Because of the modern lack of empathy within the system, those suffering from mental illness are not receiving the treatment and care that they need, which is limiting the justice that the system is producing. Mental illness is rarely considered when assessing crime, and this has led to large quantities of prisoners being mentally ill. In “Just Mercy”, Stevenson says, “America’s prisons have become warehouses for the mentally ill” (Stevenson 186). Because courts have a lack of empathy regarding the mentally ill, these people are being piled up in prisons, making up the majority of the population.

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Today, about 64% of federal and state prisoners have a mental disorder compared to a measly 16% in 1999. these astonishing statistics, America needs to take a stand. All mentally ill criminals should be treated because they repeat crimes, they are a danger to themselves and others, and their diseases are progressing while in detainment. Many criminals with mental disorders“cycle” in prison. 49% of mentally ill criminals have 3 or more prior incarcerations.

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The shift is attributed to the unexpected clinical needs of this new outpatient population, the inability of community mental health centers to meet these needs, and the changes in mental health laws (Pollack & Feldman, 2003). Thousands of mentally ill people flowing in and out of the nation 's jails and prisons. In many cases, it has placed the mentally ill right back where they started locked up in facilities, but these jail and prison facilities are ill-equipped to properly treat and help them. In 2006 the Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated that there were; 705,600 mentally ill inmates in state prisons, 78,000 in federal prisons, and

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There are so many mentally ill people in correctional facilities because most families do not know how to help their loves ones who suffer from a mental illness, so the call the police for help. Majority of the police officers do not know what to do or how to handle people with a mental illness disease. Police officers who are not trained to deal with the mentally ill often do not recognize that person is ill. Some police officers do not recognize if the individual should or not go to jail or a treatment center or medical facility. The impact of law enforcement and the judicial system dealing with people with a mental illness is to assist the inmates with the help they need.

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984 Words | 4 Pages

Today there are more mentally ill people in prisons and jails in the United States than any hospital or psych facility in this country. Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois is the largest mental health institution in the country. When a mentally ill person gets arrested for a violent crime they stay three to four times longer than a regular violent offender. “One third of those incarnated in cook county jail suffers from psychological disorders.” According to a 2006 Justice Department study, more than half of prisoners in the United States Suffer from some sort of mental health problem.

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1675 Words | 7 Pages

About 29 percent of the mentally ill incarcerated in 1992 were held with no charges against them. They were waiting for a bed at a hospital, psychiatric evaluation or transportation to some kind of psychiatric hospital. The mentally ill do not have adequate access to mental health services in jails; about 1 in 5. A lot of the mentally ill are arrested for misdemeanors. The mentally ill are also incarcerated for less serious charges than those who do not have a mental illness.

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332 Words | 2 Pages

Offenders with these disorders could be dangerous to other or even themselves. The offenders with disorders like those stated before are close to being released back into society which must be frightening if they do not take their medicines. 2 Improve conditions Mental offenders are thrown in a correctional facilities due their crimes, but these offenders should be in a prison or a correctional facility where they do not get the help they need. When in a prison some of these offender could be and will be picked on like a schoolyard which might led to a suicide attempt. A report on mental offender in california have reported that over 30,000 prisoners confined in the state prison.

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813 Words | 4 Pages

What can be done The monitoring, prevention and treatment of mental disorders, as well as the promotion of good mental health, are part of the public health goals in prisons. According to World Health Organization (2017), even in resource-limited countries, measures can be taken to improve the mental health of prisoners and prison staffs, which can be adapted to the country’s cultural, social, political and economic environment (WHO, 2017). In the British prisons, some practices and policies have also been implemented, which reflect the positive impacts of prisoners’ mental health and wellbeing. Provide prisoners with appropriate mental health treatment and care.

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There are more people incarcerated who have a mental illness that there are in psychiatric hospitals. (Psychology Today). Mental Health America reports that “there are more than 1.2 million people currently residing in prisons and/or jails with a mental health condition and lack of access to mental health care”. (MHA). 40% of adults with a serious mental illness will be arrested at some point in their lifetime, usually for disturbing the peace or for a petty crime which are caused by their mental illness.

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