NCJ Number
211716
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 67 Issue: 6 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 108-111,115
Date Published
October 2005
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the challenges the corrections industry faces in meeting the needs of mentally ill inmates.
Abstract
Caring for and treating mentally ill offenders are among the most vexing challenges facing the corrections industry today. Due to the high-risk nature of these inmates, nearly every nationally recognized organization focused on corrections or the mentally ill, has developed standards for the care and treatment of mentally ill inmates. However, these standards have not been mandated at the State or Federal level and when written policies regarding mentally ill inmates do exist, they generally vary from State to State. The scope of the problem of caring for and treating mentally ill inmates is outlined and includes the challenges of under-funding and a lack of appropriate facilities. Generally, the most difficult to care for mentally ill inmates are simply transferred to higher security correctional facilities where there are more staff and behavioral controls. The unintended consequences of moving mentally ill offenders up the security ladder are discussed and include the deterioration of inmate’s psychological condition. Solutions to the challenges of caring for and treating mentally ill inmates are offered, such as the need to review the department’s current policy regarding mentally ill inmates, outsourcing inpatient psychiatric services, and developing transitional care programs with their own facilities for housing mentally ill inmates. Endnotes