Homelessness In Jails

Introduction Millions of Americans suffer from a mental illness throughout the years, and a majority of them are not getting an adequate treatment. Individuals who experience a mental illness are found in populations such as the homelessness and jails. Between one-fourth and one-third of the homeless population suffers from a serious mental illness, (Folsom, Hawthorne, Lindamer, Gilmer, Bailey, Golshan, Garcia, Unutzer, Hough, Jeste, 2005) and according to the treatment advocacy center (2010) at least 16 percent of inmates in jails and prisons suffer from a mental illness. During the year 1970 there were 525,000 psychiatric beds in the United States that number dropped to 212,000 in 2002 Sharfstein, Dickerson (2009). The care for the mentally
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (2011) Ohio was once known for having one of the top mental health systems in the country, but due to the excessively budget cuts during the years adults and youth don’t have the opportunity to access care in their community and find themselves roaming the
(Lamb, Weinberger, Gross, 2004) considered one of the factors resulting in the increase of incarcerated mentally ill inmates as deinstitutionalization. It is evident that the discontinuation of psychiatric hospitals reduces the services for those in need, and as a result those with a mental condition find their way into the criminal justice system. The idea of closing mental institutions and moving those with a mental illness to communities was effective for some patients but not all. Many patients who are left untreated as a result end up receiving a treatment in prison. Since 2004 to 2008 inmates who were receiving mental health increased by 12.7% in state prison. The objective of their study was to analyze the characteristics of newly incarcerated inmates in New York State prisons who were diagnosed with serious mental illness in order to provide them with services. The intake of inmates was computed for a period of a month, between May 15, 2007 to June 14, 2007. Those with mental conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar I or II disorder, major depression, mood disorder, and psychotic disorders were considered as serious mental illness. At the end of their study it was found that within that month 2,918 inmates were received in New York State prisons. From that number 514 were granted mental health services, and 172 were considered serious mental illness (Way, Sawyer, Lilly, Moffitt,