Mental Health Care in Prisons

The prevalence of mental health illnesses within correctional institutions is high, with some estimates reaching 25%. This is in part due to the transinstitutionalization that occurred in the last century. Transinstitutionalization describes the movement of mentally ill from publicly funded mental health hospitals to nursing homes and correctional institutions. The increase in mental health illnesses in prisons not only burdens the prison health care system, but it further compromises the mental health status of prisoners with …

…below), prison can begin to destroy people psychologically. Some prisons have begun to screen inmates for mental health diseases, but no standard systematic program exists to manage this health care problem. Additionally, many prisons have cut back on funding for rehabilitation programs for prisoners with additions, even though with tougher laws more people are imprisoned secondary to drug crimes (e.g.: possession, trafficing). Overall, mental health care in prisons is in drastic need of attention