According to a recent article written by Scott Michaels, and submitted to the Criminal Justice Forum on 6/3/10, more than 16% of state prisoners are mentally ill. A shocking study by the Department of Justice discovered that compared to the general population, male prisoners are four times as likely, and female prisoners eight times as likely, to be mentally ill.
Interviewed for the Criminal Justice Forum article, ex-police officer, former prosecutor, and now teacher at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Eugene O’Donnell calls the increasing number of mentally ill prisoners, who are released, “the next big criminal justice Challenge.”
According to a 2009 study by the Council of State Governments, unless the mentally ill are treated while incarcerated, and continue with treatment upon release, they are twice as likely to be sent back to prison on parole or probation violations
Dr. Fredereick Osher, who is the Director of Health Systems and Services Policy at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, believes that all treatment is not the same. Just recommending treatment is not going to cut back on recidivism, Dr. Osher maintains. Formerly incarcerated persons with mental health issues must have access to credible treatment centers or clinics. Medication that is necessary as a part of treatment must be given in the correct dosage, be easy to obtain, and affordable. Counseling or therapy programs must be readily available, and provided by qualified staff.
Mentally ill prisoners who are released back to their communities face many of the same obstacles that other newly released prisoners do, such as homelessness and lack of employment. But the mentally ill are impeded by being branded as dangerous. Dr. Merrill Rotter has studied the reentry of mentally ill prisoners and takes issue with labeling. Dr. Rotter maintains that most of those in prison who are designated as mentally ill are substance abusers.
Mental health agencies are already over-worked and under-staffed. Funding must be allocated to provide help for “the next big challenge”. Alternatives to incarceration programs must be explored. Otherwise, as Michaels observes, the mentally ill will keep being re-incarcerated - doing “life on the installment plan’ in prison.
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