Mental Illness and Prison
There are upwards of ten times more seriously mentally ill people in prisons and jails than in mental institutions (“How many individuals with serious mental illness”). As the population of mental institutions is decreasing, and prison population is increasing, jails and prisons are becoming the new mental illness treatment centers. These institutions are not equipped to properly rehabilitate mentally ill individuals, and are very costly compared to community based rehabilitation programs for nonviolent offenders with a mental illness. Because these places are not equipped to handle mentally ill prisoners, many of the prisoners get stuck in a cycle of getting arrested on a mental illness related charge, going to jail and taking medication, getting out of jail and not being able to afford to continue the medication, and being arrested again on a mental illness related charge. Many mentally ill people have been arrested more than 50 times, showing that this is a cycle that is hard to break (Bogue). This all works out very poorly because mentally ill prisoners are much more expensive, and because of this cycle, spend much more time in prison, significantly increasing expenditure, and the amount of time that mentally ill prisoners spend being treated poorly.
Mentally ill prisoners are often hard to control and discipline, especially seriously mentally ill prisoners who don’t understand what they have done wrong. Many mentally ill prisoners end up in solitary confinement “with absolutely no meaningful social interaction, no effective treatment, and literally no hope” (Brady-Lunny), which can “exacerbate mental illness and...cause more serious mental health disorders” (“California to Provide Counseling to Mentally Ill Inmates”). Many mentally ill prisoners also end up in high security prisons because of their mental illness related behavior issues. In some high security prisons, prescriptions are stopped for mentally ill prisoners, one psychiatrist saying “We don’t give out feel-good drugs here” (Binelli), and when mentally ill patients act mentally ill, they are restrained using inhumane techniques. Many things that happen in these prisons are illegal, but are not criticized because many of the mentally ill prisoners do not understand that they are illegal, or if they ask for help, are ignored. Because of poor treatment by guards, many mentally ill prisoners and up attempting, or succeeding at committing, suicide (Binelli).
These mentally ill prisoners cost more per day, and significantly more per year, mainly because of the medications that are provided for them. Non mentally ill prisoners cost on average $80 per day, while mentally ill prisoners can cost upwards of $130 per day. This adds up to a yearly cost of about $22,000 for non mentally ill prisoners, and up to $50,000 for mentally ill prisoners (“How many individuals with serious mental illness”). Multiply that by the amount of mentally ill people in jails and prisons, an estimated 50-75% of prisoners (Taibi), and that is a staggering cost. The medications that the mentally ill prisoners need can cost hundreds of dollars for less than a month’s worth of pills. Even if the drugs are reduced in cost, this is a significant amount of expense that goes towards providing medication for mentally ill inmates. These efforts are also quite often in vain. When people get out of prison, they often go back to the exact same, if not worse, circumstances. This means that a lot of people that were brought in on mental illness related charges will not be able to afford to continue their expensive medication. Once off their medication, their mental state will return to how it was before they were incarcerated and treated, and many will be charged again with a mental illness related disturbance. Some even want to go back, going as far as calling the cops on themselves (Binelli). Mentally ill prisoners also receive longer sentences than other prisoners, even for nonviolent offenses (“How many individuals with serious mental illness”). This leads to an even more significant difference between the cost of mentally ill and non mentally ill prisoners because of the length of their incarceration.
One thing that could help to avoid the significant expenses and inhumane treatment altogether is the introduction of more rehabilitation programs to help mentally ill prisoners. Something that is beginning to be implemented now is a system of Mental Health Courts. These courts try to keep mentally ill people out of the criminal justice system and instead send them to rehabilitation programs (Osby). These programs work to decrease criminal activity and can end the cycle of arrests for mentally ill people by “tackl[ing] the root of why they [commit] crime[s]” (Collins). These are a great alternative to putting mentally ill nonviolent offenders in jail because they are much less expensive, and keep the prison population down (Osby). So far the courts that are active have been effective. These courts, teamed with reentry programs (programs designed to help inmates get the “necessary services they need in regards to housing, employment, and other things” (Collins)), can help to rehabilitate mentally ill offenders, and keep them from being arrested again. Keeping nonviolent offenders out of the system reduces costs involved in arrests, trials, and incarcerations.
These community based rehabilitation programs are part of the reform that this prison system needs. They will make the prison system as a whole, which is right now incredibly costly and morally questionable, more efficient financially and morally sound.
These community based rehabilitation programs are part of the reform that this prison system needs. They will make the prison system as a whole, which is right now incredibly costly and morally questionable, more efficient financially and morally sound.