Incarcerating the Mentally Ill

The Incarceration of the Mentally Ill Mental institutions in the United States were founded for a very important reason; to keep the mentally ill people of America off the streets, and into a place that will provide them with the necessary treatment. Prisons and jails on the other hand, were not designed for that reason. Although many of the mentally ill may commit a crime of some sort, I feel they should be set aside …

…are a large population with many needs. Instead of treating them, they are being prosecuted. We must reverse this not only because that would be the right thing to do, but also because what is currently happening with them is just a repeating cycle. We need to stop placing them in jails and prisons and instead offer them community-based services that will help them rather than just hide them from society in a jail cell.