Mental Health Issues In Prisons

Inmates often suffer from multiple mental health related issues and addicted to drugs. Many times, these inmates are often time ostracized by other inmates and are stigmatized by their illness. This leads to inmates becoming very withdrawn from others or tend to be very violent and prone to outburst and other violent actions. This leads to these inmates often being punished for their behavior instead of being treated for the disorders that are causing these behaviors. (Aufderheide, 2014)
A study that was conducted in 1939 by Lionel Penrose which is now called Penrose's Law. It discusses the impact that decreases mental health facilities has a negative impact on crime as the numbers increased. Researcher re-visits Lionel Penrose's study conducted in 1939 to determine if his findings holds true today as they did back then. Resources use the Norway prison system to conduct the study and the impact of crime when mental health facilities are decreased the evidence is very effective as it shows us that past results are still proving true today and
The overcrowding of prisons and the improper handling of inmates with mental health issues and civilians on the streets our prisons and jails are facing a crisis on how to handle the influx of inmates and neglecting their responsibilities they have which require them to give inmates who are suffering from mental health problems the proper care they are entitled to. With the decrease in mental health facilities provided to the public we are seeing an increase in mentally ill civilians being prosecuted and put into the Prison System’s when they should be admitted into professional mental health facilitates. Due to the lack of mental health treatment provided inside prison, inmates mental health becomes worse and even new mental health issues are developed because of the poor environment inside