Mental Health Care In Prison

In recent years, correctional facilities have begun to experience an influx of inmates who suffer with mental illness. Per Morgan, et al (2011), ?the United States has three times more individuals with severe mental illnesses in prisons than in psychiatric hospitals.? Most prisons in this country aren?t equipped to properly care for the mentally ill persons who enter the facility. Individuals with mental illness are more likely to be placed in prisons rather than a mental health institution to receive help to deal

Texas has approximately 24.3 million residents according to 2010 state statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Close to 833,000 adults live with a serious mental illness. Within these 24.3 million residents of Texas in 2008, approximately 37,700 adults with a mental illness were incarcerated (NAMI.org). Additionally, there is an estimated 31% of female and 14% of male jail inmates nationally live with serious mental illness. We see this because there are inadequate public mental health services to meet the needs of those suffering. Texas public mental health

Linder and Frederick J. Meyers. This article starts with a story about an inmate who found out he had cancer while incarcerated. Then, it goes on to incorporate his story throughout the article in interview form to provide inside information on the treatment of prisoners. Most inmates come in with addictions and substance abuse, no access to health care, homelessness, and untreated mental illnesses (Linder and Meyers 895). They blame this on the lack of medical health that’s available to the general population. According to Linder and Meyers, “Inmates and the free-living populations share 6 of the 10 leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease, influenza/pneumonia, and septicemia”. With the remaining four for inmates being liver disease, AIDS, self-harm and digestion

Overcrowding, violence, poor nutrition, unsanitary conditions, and solitary confinement are all issues that contribute to public health consequences all over the world (Cloud, 2014). Being incarcerated exposes inmates to health risks such as risky sexual behavior with little access to condoms and shared needles for drug use and tattooing (Dumont, 2012). Compared to the general population, the people that seem to be incarcerated the most seem to come from poor communities, where there seems to be higher rates of chronic diseases. For example these diseases include the higher rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, hepatitis C virus, HIV, and syphilis all occur within correctional facilities. Furthermore, when these individuals return home, correctional facilities lack in providing them with access to valuable health care services and resources, and this ultimately further exacerbates the negative consequences of their health which contributes to population health disparities. Overall, public health agencies need to play a more active role for the incarceration

As warden, my recommendation to lower medical costs would be aimed at the population of inmates in my facility. Reducing the number of inmates is the single most effective way to drive down all costs of housing inmates including medical care (Henrichson, Rinaldi, & Delaney. 2015). Recent studies show the amount of money that can be saved is significant, but to successfully reduce inmate populations it will require participation from law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, community corrections officials, and lawmakers (Henrichson, Rinaldi, & Delaney. 2015). Our country has the largest population of inmates than any other country in the world and the consequences that has had on taxpayers and peoples lives have been a negative one

The average incarceration of prisoners per year is 2,418,352, however more than half of those prisoners are not provided the proper care needed for their survival. (Cooper, Sabol, West 1) Several inmates are put in unjust situations and living conditions through prison systems that majorly effect their everyday lives. Many of these issues pose threats to the prisoners but are preventable through change in the system. Prison systems around the world are flawed and need to be reworked. Inmates are constantly surrounded by an unhealthy environment full of sexual assault, lack of good health, and unfair treatment based upon disability.

According to a report from the Human Rights Watch in 2010 there was a large population of elder inmates and statistics showed the older inmates suffered with more infirmities than younger inmates. As a result it’s much more costly to take care of an older inmate than it is to take care of a younger inmate (“Dementia Behind Bars”, 2102). Statistics also showed that ten years ago the average cost per inmate to be about 5,500 and about 11,000 for inmates 55 to 59 and 40,000 for those inmates 80 and older (“Dementia Behind Bars”, 2102). It’s a serious issue that has to be

In chapter five of Ironies of Imprisonment, it is evident that there is inadequate healthcare for those incarcerated. Throughout the chapter the different diseases are discussed as well as myths and misconceptions surrounding healthcare behind bars. Furthermore, proposals to spend healthcare dollars on correctional facilities are becoming more unpopular. This is likely because people do not believe that prisoners have equal rights to normal people, and they see them as less human.

(Wilper, 2009) In this article it is reported that there is high rate of chronic medical conditions. Some of the more common issues in prisons are "coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, chronic lung diseases, HIV infections, hepatitis B and C, other sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, chronic renal failure, physical disabilities, and many types of cancer.” (Bondurant, 2013) Many of these types of medical issues call for continuous treatment which in the end can pose as a

The cost of housing an inmate is great, but an elderly or sick one is astronomical. The extra care required is not helping with staffing either. Some elderly during incarceration have to be separated due to discrimination from younger inmates. They are not a good part of the population when it comes to work required to keep the prisons running. While reading one will notice how they describe a prisoner’s age verses someone that is free. The fact that they have stress from all areas within the prison and they tend to age quicker internally. People incarcerated over the age of forty-five are noted to have up to three chronic illnesses while being

The aging men and women expected to pass away in prison has escalated. Strained budgets are the main cause for the lack of attention to meet the needs of the older inmates in prisons. Medical attention and staff is limited in many prisons due to decrease in interest elected officials have. Earl Cain, Warden at Louisiana State Penitentiary made the following statement: “We burry more inmates than we release out the front gate.” The harsh reality coming from a warden of a state prison confirms the fate of many elderly inmates. It is hard to believe that the criminal justice system in this country has not been able to provide for the needs of so many elderly people just because they are criminals. According to the United States Bureau of Justice statistics, “The aging prison population increased by 63 percent between 2007 and 2010, even though the total prison population only grew by 0.7

HIV is one of the leading causes of illness in the United States. It is estimated that 1,148,200 individuals are living with HIV, with about 207,800 or 18% that are undiagnosed and 47,500 newly infected in 2010, in the United States (CDC, 2013). Although there is no cure, treatment is available through antiviral medications, but access to healthcare is often a major pitfall. Many of the behaviors that make individuals more vulnerable for HIV, such as IV drug use and illegal prostitution, also increase an individual’s vulnerability to be incarcerated. In 2010, there were 20,093 reported inmates with HIV/AIDS in custody in either state or federal prison (HIV in Prisons, 2012). Although this number has decreased since the previous census count of 20,880 individuals imprisoned in either state or federal custody, this still does not take into account the individuals that are released from prison and are required to seek a continuation of treatment on their own. “In 2012, the number of admissions to state and federal prison in the United States was 609,800 offenders. The number of releases from U.S. prisons in 2012 (637,400) exceeded that of admissions for the fourth consecutive year” (Prisoners in

One of the primary issues, problems and concerns in regards to healthcare issues or medical problems pertaining to the United States inmate population is the staggering expense, type of care provided, diagnosis and classification of illness. The other issue is that of the surveys to determine percentages of the inmate populace that fall within each category. In reading the statistical analysis, or report written by Laura M. Maruschak, named, Medical Problems of Prisoners, written in 2004, it appears to me that a main issue is that the statistics are extremely skewed, due to a few factors; 1) The lack of complete participation across the board from every facility and inmate (out of 1585 state facilities only 287 participated, and out of 148 federal prisons only 40 participated, and I don’t even have an accurate percentage of inmates who participated, but it appears less than

Medical practices in prison have been scrutinized by the media for being unconstitutional, inhumane, and capitalistic. Much of the medical treatment in prison is not sufficient. In terms of prenatal and psychiatric care the correctional system has failed. With outside companies managing prison health, money generated by tax dollar is not being used appropriately. Thus, creating problems like overcrowding, untrained staff, and unsanitary living conditions. This essay is an analysis of the United States correctional health care system in terms of general health, pregnancy, and mental health. It provides guideline to the protocols of The National Commission on Correctional Health Care. Furthermore, it provides evidence to support the claims above

basic medical care for inmates. It is questioned if private prisons enhance the quality of