At midyear 1998, an estimated 283,800 mentally ill offenders were incarcerated i

Question

At midyear 1998, an estimated 283,800 mentally ill offenders were incarcerated in the Nation’s prisons and jails. In recent surveys completed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 16% of State prison inmates, 7% of Federal inmates, and 16% of those in local jails reported either a mental condition or an overnight stay in a mental hospital. About 16%, or an estimated 547,800 probationers, said they had had a mental condition or stayed overnight in a mental hospital at some point in their lifetime. About 10% of prison and jail inmates reported a mental or emotional condition; and 10% said they had stayed overnight in a mental hospital or program. Together, 16% or an estimated 283,800 inmates reported either a mental condition or an overnight stay in a mental hospital, and were identified as mentally ill. Mentally ill inmates were more likely than others to be in prison. View this PBS Special (5 segments) on the mentally ill in our criminal justice system (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for an insightful look at a growing problem.

Below is the website to view

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/showsasylums/?utm_campaign=viewpage&utm_medium=grid&utm_source=grid

Based on the fact that there is such a large number of mentally ill offenders incarcerated in our prisons, what should we be doing to address this problem? Is it possible that early intervention could have prevented this situation?

Explanation / Answer

Based on the fact that there is such a large number of mentally ill offenders incarcerated in our prisons, what should we be doing to address this problem? Is it possible that early intervention could have prevented this situation?

Yes, there can be other methods than putting people in jail who are having, or have had mental problems. When the court realises that the person is not a completely mentally sound person, what is not clear is that- why is the person not given the verdict of “not guilty by reason of insanity”. Rather than putting these mentally people in jails, the court could subject them to a mental illness cen-tre or for counselling to a psychiatrist , so that his condition is alleviated and the person can be cured , such that he would not commit those crimes under the influence of his mental condition. If such cases are detected they should be intended to be cured rather than punished. This results in consequences where there are more prisoners who are mentally ill and prisons are becoming institutions for mental health patients.

When curing and treating these patients can eliminate the crime rate, why to not do it.

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