Mental Health In Prison Essay

A common misconception that many people have about the United States prison system is that it acts as a sanctuary for rehabilitation, and it is this misconception that allows people to believe that mentally ill prisoners who are sent to prison will receive the treatment that they need. Not only does life in prison provide added stress and anxiety to the already burdensome life of living with a mental illness, but with so many inmates in such close quarters, said mentally ill patients often get harassed and are unlikely to get the amount of attention from doctors and specialists that they truly need. With such stated lack of necessary attention and treatment, mentally ill prisoners often develop more severe symptoms than those that they entered with. Therefore, the time, energy, and resources that funnel into caring for the 1.3 million inmates with mental illness who are currently in the United States prison system should be shifted to focus on medication and or rehabilitation in an appropriate

According to the American Psychological Association, a 2014 article states, “Mental illness among today's inmates is also pervasive, with 64 percent of jail inmates, 54 percent of state prisoners and 45 percent of federal prisoners reporting mental health concerns” (Incarnation Nation). This statistic is appalling and should not be considered an acceptable number. More than half of jailers and prisoners report mental health concerns; this is static that should not be taken lightly and needs to be addressed. Mentally incarnated people and prison cells do not go well together; it creates a recipe for disaster for the individual suffering behind bars. The purpose of prison is to “retribution, incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation”

"Jails and prisons hold three times as many mentally ill people as mental health hospitals" (“Mentally Ill Prisoners”). This horrifying statistic directly reflects the mistreatment and inequity faced by the mentally ill in society, and speaks on behalf of the “356,000 inmates with serious mental illness in jails and state prisons” in the United States (How Many Individuals). Mentally ill inmates are not only often unfairly sentenced for non-violent crimes, but they are commonly mistreated by prison staff, deprived of proper treatment for their illnesses, and ultimately their stay only worsens their condition, leading to their speedy return to the system upon the expiration of their sentences. The sheer number of people with mental illnesses

Prisons and jails in the United States house more than a quarter of a million mentally ill offenders at any given time (Torrey et al., 2014). Some of this is due to the substantial decrease in mental hospitalizations, which occurred when many facilities closed for inhumane treatment of patients (Swanson, 2015). Proper care of the incarcerated mentally ill is imperative, as these inmates are at risk of being abused and having their mental health deteriorate (Torrey et al., 2014). Often, these offenders will “leave prison or jail sicker than when they entered” (Torrey et al.,

Given the number of incarcerated inmates who suffer from some form of mental illness, there are growing concerns and questions in the medical field about treatment of the mentally ill in the prison system. When a person with a mental illness commits a crime or break the law, they are immediately taken to jail or sent off to prison instead of being evaluated and placed in a hospital or other mental health facility. “I have always wondered if the number of mentally ill inmates increased since deinstitutionalization” Since prison main focus is on the crimes inmates are incarcerated; the actual treatment needed for the mentally ill is secondary. Mentally ill prisoners on the surface may appear to be just difficult inmates depending on the

Mental sicknesses, like schizophrenia, brain diseases and other living conditions have affected many individuals in the United States from the past until now. Yet in the US, the institutions that usually treat people with these illnesses are not hospitals or psychiatric facilities, but rather jails and prisons. The United States have adopted a system that seems to incarcerate the mentally ill rather than treating them within help centers. “In 2012, there were roughly 356,268 inmates with severe mental illnesses in prisons and jails, while only 35,000 people with the same diseases were in state psychiatric hospitals.” Incarcerating the mentally ill in correctional facilities rather than treating them in health

The subject of how to ethically treat prisoners is a contentious one, and when the struggles of mental illness are added to the equation, it becomes even more complex. In attempt to manage difficult or dangerous prisoners, solitary confinement has increasingly became the punishment of choice by prison officials. Solitary confinement can intensify or aggravate detrimental occurrences in behavior in prisoners when they are exposed to this isolation for extended amounts of time. The article “Solitary Confinement and Mental Illness in U.S. Prisons: A Challenge for Medical Ethics,” was written by Jeffery L. Metzner M.D., a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry along with Senior Counsel of Human Rights Watch, Jamie

Jails are a Danger to the Mentally Ill “When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘We’ even illness becomes wellness” -Unknown. There is a problem with the mentally ill being put in jail and the way they are treated in jail. Some people believe jail is a good place to hold the mentally ill because they are seen as a threat to society, but others believe they are getting the wrong treatment and jail is not a place for the mentally ill because it makes their illness worse and causes more problems. While some believe that the mental ill belong in jails, incarcerating these patients is determinantal to society because they are not receiving the proper treatment and the number of inmates is increasing. Without the proper treatment, a mentally ill inmate can become suicidal or threatening to other people.

prisons are now having to find ways to provide at least minimum mental health screening and treatment for their inmates. Several forms of treatment throughout the years have consisted of psychotherapy, electroshock therapy, and psychoactive drugs (Macionis, 2015). The use of psychoactive drugs has increased by prisons to the point where a psychiatrist hired by a prison may prescribe and administer drugs to an inmate. Some inmates may end up being prescribed to multiple drugs at a time. In many other cases, especially in local jails, mentally ill inmates continue to go

Mental illness is a problem that occurs in all nations around the world. This is even more true for the populations in correctional facilities for both men and women. The overwhelming number of persons in correctional facilities with health issues is caused by: the rational that people with mental health disorders are a threat to society; narrow mindedness and low tolerance for people who are different from us; no resources to acquire the proper care needed. These mental health problems may have occurred prior to incarceration, and may nurtured further by the stressful environment of prisons, or they may have also been caused by being incarcerated in the first place in addition to other prior issues. Correctional facilities is not the place for the mentally ill, instead they should be treated for there illnesses. The purpose of this paper is to depict both the problem of inmates with mental health disorders in correctional facilities and the challenges faced by correctional staff. Secondly, denote possible interventions (treatment) for inmates with mental health issues. Next, support this information with studies about mental health in correctional facilities. Lastly, offer reasons it is important to combat the problem of mental illness in correctional facilities in order to better serve their well being needs.

The facts are the mentally ill in prisons today present a serious challenge to a staff who is trying to manage treatment concerns with concerns from the administrators and so far there has been no resolution to this growing problem. (Mental Illness, Human Rights, and US Prisons,

According to a 2006 Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that over half of the inmates in both prisons and in jails had a problem concerning their mental health (James & Glaze, 2006). The estimates in this report were separated by federal prisons, which contained 45 percent of inmates suffering from mental illness, 56 percent in state prisons, and

Jails and prisons are overcrowded unpleasant environments which make it harder on mentally ill inmates causing behavioral problems, especially those not treated. Failing to provide treatment for mentally ill inmates is another problem they face. Leaving these inmates without treatment for extended periods in dangerous and can detrimental for the mentally inmates and those around them. Failing to provide treatment happens more frequently in county jails than prisons. Without treatment the mentally ill symptoms worsen and lead to them becoming victimized or even committing suicide. Furthermore, mentally ill inmates are victimized more often than other prisoner. In fact, “1 in 12 prisoners with a mental disorder reported at least one incident of sexual victimization by another inmate over a six-month period, compared with 1 in 33 male inmates without a mental disorder” (Ditton, 1999). This sad reality can ultimately lead to another problem mentally ill inmate’s face. Not surprising, suicide in prisons and jails occur frequently more among inmates who are mentally ill. A study of 154 suicides in California prison system reported that 73% had a history of mental treatment (Dittion, 1999). Placing the mentally ill in prisons and jails instead of mental hospital can eventually lead to this sad truth of mentally ill inmates taking their own lives. For one Harrisburg man, his schizophrenia went from manageable to beyond control after he was incarcerated. Diagnosed at the early age of twenty, Betty’s son was stable and taking his medications. However, his health took a turn for the worse; he was arrested for selling drugs and put into a state prison for three years. His mental health deteriorated drastically, as he cycled in and out of jail through most of his life as most mentally ill do, he became worse and worse each time. Betty recalls visiting her son in prison, his hair

This literature review aims to find out, to what extent the prison system affects the mental health of prisoners, how it develops overtime from being in a confined space and are inmates genetically predisposed to mental illness prior to incarceration and what programmes do prisons have in order to support them? Fazel and Danesh , discuss serious mental disorders within prisons around the world. They looked at 62 different surveys that helped them reach information about 23,000 different prisoners. Interviews were conducted of unselected prison populations, which included diagnoses of psychotic illnesses and major depression in the past six months. They also looked in convicts past and family history and looked for any events that may have

This ensures, but does not always guarantee the safety of inmates as well as the officers and treatment staff. Furthermore, by pre-classifying mentally ill inmates it can prevent future problems between the inmates and correctional personnel (Carlson, Peter M. Prison and Jail Administration, third edition. 2015. Part V; Mental Health pg 149-162. pg 152). When considering the standing of inmates and mental illnesses, the chance for a strong-minded inmate to develop a mental health problem is always there. Being incarcerated can bring about different problems for inmates; such as stressors from legal issues, being confined, to not being able to see and interact with family members. Being incarcerated often interrupts and affects individuals sleep cycles as well as dietary changes. These two factors alone can change the mental stability for not only an inmate but a free citizen as well. All the above stated issues put together can cause trouble internally for an inmate and there needs to be adequate counseling and healthy outlets for inmates (Carlson, Peter M. Prison and Jail Administration, third edition. 2015. Part V; Mental Health pg 149-162. pg. 155). These outlets need to proper programs (drug/mental, etc.), education/vocational opportunities and recreational activities. When an inmate is presented with the skills to succeed along with