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Mentally Ill People Should Go To Prison Essay

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As criminal rates rise, it has become a known fact that the mentally ill people are much more likely to go to jail. With all these mentally ill in prison, the United States has had to adapt their system. The question is whether or not they have done a good job of treating the mentally ill in prison. Punishing criminals has been around for thousands of years. As forensics technology improves and the population increases more and more people are going to jail. With over 2 million people going and staying in prison a year it is important that when they leave that they are an active member of society. If there is an improper prison system in place then the released prisoners can be worse for society than before. When people can’t get proper …show more content…

All prisons and jails have therapists and psychiatrists that are either hired or frequently visit their prisoners. However with such a large amount of people who need help these therapists are difficult to meet with. Psychologist W. Neil Gowensmith “has been advocating for outpatient competency restoration. Through such such programs, offenders receive these services from community health systems” (Improving mental health for inmates). He believed that prisoners of less serious crimes, or misdemeanors, should be able to go to off site group and single therapy sessions. Being allowed to temporarily leave the jail to get help would be a great way to encourage people to schedule these meetings. Group therapy sessions would also allow them to build connections with non criminals. When these prisoners were released they could continue going to these group sessions with the same people. Visiting an off site therapist is not to be confused with a mental hospital state where they send those who are at risk of taking their own lives. Allowing for off ground sessions will change how the prisoners think and feel about therapy and mental health issues. A lot of the prisoners that admit to having mental issues don’t want therapy because of the connotation that it gives off or because they don’t want help. Though prisoners with serious crimes wouldn’t be able to leave prison grounds …show more content…

When prisoners leave prison they often don’t have much money and any insurance. This stops them from continuing their mental healthcare. “People need help," said the 48-year-old Mr. Dumont, … "If that help is available in jail, they will go to jail.” (Los Angeles Rifts). If the free prisoners can't continue mental healthcare, pay for food, or even get a job then they may be inclined to go back. In prison they had grown used to living with a strict schedule, when set free all these choices can be overwhelming. They know that in prison they won’t have to worry about buying food or saving money, and that they will be anxiety free. It will also allow them to get medicine and mental help that their insurance outside couldn’t pay for. The best way to ensure that prisoners don’t want to come back is to make it so that the prisoner can continue their treatment when they are let free. This will prevent them from reentering or help them continue to battle their poor mental state. If they do go back to their normal lives but don’t receive medication or help for a serious mental disease then they will struggle to keep or even get a job. If they don't pull out of this then they are going to either purposefully or accidentally get caught and arrested. Different prisons have different healthcare system. So one may think that a prison with a bad mental healthcare would prevent someone from

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