Mental Illness Within The Prison System - 928 Words

Everyday correctional officials work to deal with mental health inmates. Often hotly debated, many search for ways to work with this growing population. Glaze and Bonczar (2009) estimate around 2.3 million people are incarcerated within the US and of those, 20 percent suffer from some form of mental disorder. Even with such a high number, the rate of mental illnesses within the prison system is on the climb. Many of these inmates will remain incarcerated and receive little to no treatment for their mental issues. This essay, will look at the practices associated when dealing with mental illness and discuss the strategies on dealing with this growing issue. The incarceration of those who are mentally ill is on the continual rise. Many states juggle with the decision of placing offenders in Mental Hospital or locating them in State Prisons. Latessa and Holsinger (2011) discuss two major reasons for the increase of those with mental illness within the prison system. First, many s tates have no longer allow for the insanity plea during criminal trials, thus those who suffer from mental illness are not required to receive mandatory mental treatment. This is due to the discomforting idea that criminal offenders should not be given the same living conditions as those whom are patients of mental wards. Secondly, longer sentences have created a surplus of mentally ill offenders needing treatment. Soderstrom (2007) added that the lack of mental health support systems inShow MoreRelatedPrisoners with Special Needs1118 Words   |  5 PagesPrisoners with Special Needs David Stevens CJS/255 May 30, 2016 Sherri Webster Special needs, mentally ill, and substance-abusing prisoners affect the jail and prison systems at a state and federal level in a multitude of ways. One of the main issues within prisons is the fact that their mental health services can be seriously inadequate and lacking the proper staffing, all while operating in facilities that are not equipped to handle such prisoners, on top of a limited amount of programsRead MoreEssay on Prisoners and The Development of Severe Mental Illness1375 Words   |  6 PagesThe vast majority of prisoners who suffer from severe mental illness are not receiving the proper mental health treatment necessary. The lack of attention allocated to the sanity of prisoners with mental illness is a haunting reality given that these people eventually return to the free world following their time in prison. Due to the punitive tendencies of the prison system, prison will likely only exacerbate peoples preexisting mental illnesses, making them susceptible to recid ivism, or furtherRead MoreThe Importance Of Mental Disorders In The Prison System1288 Words   |  6 PagesIn addition, persons with mental disorders are clearly overrepresented in the prison system, when compared to rates of persons in the community with mental disorders, studies found â€Å"that prevalence estimates were three to 12 times higher than in community samples, reaching as high as 64%,† (Prins, S. J., 2014, p. 862) with â€Å"prevalence† being defined as the commonness or occurrence of a mental disorder. The reasoning behind this skewed representation has continually puzzled researchers and led toRead MoreCriminalization Of The Mentally Ill1486 Words   |  6 Pagesmentally ill persons within the prison system, it is important to know the history of mental illness in the prison system. In1841, Dorothea Dix began her Asylum Movement. She saw how deplorable the conditions were for mentally ill inmates in the prison system and insisted on change. The mental ill inmates were treated very poorly, being beaten, starved, and sexually abused. Dix brought her findings to the legislature of Massachusetts and funds were then set aside to expand the mental hospital in WorcesterRead More The Importance of Diagnosing and Treating Inmates With Mental Illness 1497 Words   |  6 Pagespatients in mental facilities were reintroduced into society. This action was sparked by the introduction of antipsychotic drugs and the lack of funding to house and maintain mentally ill patients. This was to help not only the financial restraints of the government but to help each of the patients within the facilities by giving them the ability to live a fulfilling life without confinement. In the last few decades changes in the United States judicial system such as mandatory prison sen ¬tences,Read MoreThe Effects Of Crime And Mental Illness1245 Words   |  5 PagesTypically, mental conditions affect the cognitive and emotional aspects of a person. Thus, peop le with mental illness face a high risk of engaging in criminalized behaviors. Many pieces of research show that the US has the largest number of its citizens in prison with severe mental illness. This essay will analyze how crime and mental illness is a crisis in America that has fundamentally been avoided over the years that have seen the decline in institutions that were previously designed to help thisRead MoreMental Illness Within The United States984 Words   |  4 PagesMental illness is an issue that impacts all prison systems throughout the United States. The wellbeing of inmates is a long debated issue. There is much improvement that can be done in the prison systems to help rehabilitate and treat inmates while they are incarcerated to better prepare them for a successful reintegration into society. An examination of the current rehabilitation and treatment programs for inmates diagnosed with psychological illness will assist in identifying failures in withinRead MoreInt roduction. Mental Illness Today Is A Social Crisis That1650 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Mental illness today is a social crisis that began with the onset of deinstitutionalization leading to a massive increase within our prison population. People with mental illnesses often cycle repeatedly through courtrooms, jails, and prisons that are ill-equipped to address their needs and, in particular, to provide adequate treatment. There are also many other factors in prisons that have negative effects on mental health such as overcrowding, violence, solitude, lack of privacyRead MoreThe Community Mental Health Centers Act Of 1963 Closed State Psychiatric Hospitals1191 Words   |  5 PagesMany years ago, mental illness was viewed as a demonic possession or a religious punishment. In the 18th century, the attitudes towards mental illness were negative and persistent. This negativity leads to the stigmatization and confinement of those who were mentally ill. The mentally ill were sent to mental hospitals that were unhealthy and dangerous. A push in the mid 1950s for dei nstitutionalization began because of activists lobbying for change. Dorothea Dix was one of these activists that helpedRead MoreRegulatory Agency Essay1463 Words   |  6 Pages 2 Prison health care provides the inmates with medical care from the prisons correctional health provider. There are many thoughts about why inmates should receive health care and one reason is that even though the inmates have committed crimes, he or she still needs medical treatment just as an individual that is not incarcerated. Problems, such as mental health, health and substance abuse tend to be more apparent in the prisons than within the communities. There are many