Public protection remains priority however prison/custody may not be an appropriate environment for somebody with a mental health issue (Bradley, 2009). Similarly a mentally disordered individual displays a dilemma when they are bought into contact with the Criminal Justice System (Durcan, Graham, 2014). Under the prevision of the Mental Health Act (1983) if an individual is detained under section 135 or 136 of the Mental Health Act they can be taken to a place to be assessed usually this is a prison cell (Durcan, Graham, 2014). It may be argued that by doing this the individual taken into custody under section 136 can exacerbate a mental illness making an individual increasingly vulnerable with heightening self-harm and suicide ideation (Murphy and Wales 2013). It may …show more content…
Richard Martin, 2004). The purpose of this is so the individual can be assessed depending on the outcome they will either be treated for a mental health illness or treated solely by the criminal justice system and punished if found guilty of a crime (Towl & Crighton, 2012). According to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) if an officer recognises or has any suspicion on an individual’s mental state, appropriate support should be provided for such a person. In order to shield the individual from any unnecessary punishment (Glover-Thomas, 2002). Research carried out by Torrey et al. (1993) suggests that the prison system is being abused as a mental hospital and should be used by those who do not have such a disorder. An individual deemed to have a mental disorder may be transferred from prison to a medium secure hospital under the provision of section 48/49 of the Mental Health Act (1983) for a period of assessment. This is seen as humane in comparison to a prison sentence, although the individual is not being punished they may begin to question why (Glover-Thomas,
Jails as Mental Hospitals. A joint report of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and
Furthermore, there are around 10 million individuals booked through the jail systems in a year. Of these 10 million individuals, around 700,000 of these individuals have symptoms of serious mental illness. However, though already high numbers, these numbers are expected to be lower than the actual due to individuals not wanting to report or not knowing to report thei...
Critical to understanding the extent of the problem is a clear definition of mentally ill, “a person suffering from mental illness and, owing to that illness, there are reasonable grounds for believing that care, treatment or control of the person is necessary for the person’s own protection from serious harm, or for the protection of others from serious harm” [Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW)]. Noting that the statute specifies the ‘control’ of this group which adds to the notion that people with mental health problems are inherently more dangerous members of our society. Furthermore mental health problems within the prison system (inmate population) are estimated to be three to four times higher than in the general Australian popula...
The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and of that over sixty percent of jail inmates reported having a mental health issue and 316,000 of them are severely mentally ill (Raphael & Stoll, 2013). Correctional facilities in the United States have become the primary mental health institutions today (Adams & Ferrandino, 2008). This imprisonment of the mentally ill in the United States has increased the incarceration rate and has left those individuals medically untreated and emotionally unstable while in jail and after being released. Better housing facilities, medical treatment and psychiatric counseling can be helpful in alleviating their illness as well as upon their release. This paper will explore the increasing incarceration rate of the mentally ill in the jails and prisons of the United States, the lack of medical services available to the mentally ill, the roles of the police, the correctional officers and the community and the revolving door phenomenon (Soderstrom, 2007). It will also review some of the existing and present policies that have been ineffective and present new policies that can be effective with the proper resources and training. The main objective of this paper is to illustrate that the criminalization of the mentally ill has become a public health problem and that our policy should focus more on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
Wouldn’t it be completely irrational to sentence every mentally ill individual to jail purely because they suffered from a mental illness? Often, mentally ill people behave in an eccentric manner and allure the attention of police officers who do not differentiate the mentally ill from mentally stable people and immediately charge them with misdemeanors. There are approximately 300,000 inmates, with the number increasing every year, which suffer from a mental illness and do not receive proper treatment. Jails are not adequately equipped to care for mentally ill inmates, which can lead to an escalation of an inmate’s illness. Society has failed to provide enough social resources for citizens suffering from psychiatric illnesses in its community, transferring mentally unstable individuals between mental institutions and jails, when in fact adequate aid such as providing proper medication, rehabilitation opportunities, and more psychiatric hospitals in communities is a necessity to reconstitute these individuals.
Thousands of people statewide are in prisons, all for different reasons. However, the amount of mental illness within prisons seems to go unaddressed and ignored throughout the country. This is a serious problem, and the therapy/rehabilitation that prison systems have do not always help those who are mentally ill. Prison involvement itself can contribute to increased suicide (Hills, Holly). One ‘therapy’ that has increased throughout the years has been the use of solitary confinement, which has many negative effects on the inmates. When an inmate has a current mental illness, prior to entering into the prison, and it goes undiagnosed and untreated, the illness can just be worsened and aggravated.
In order to protect the patients’ identity and privacy, and in accordance with the NMC Code (2015) and Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998, anonymity and confidentiality will be maintained using a pseudonym for the case study. Jane, a 47-year-old female, detained on Section 3 of MHA (DH, 1983) within an Acute Inpatient Ward. As defined in the Mental Health Act Code of Conduct (DH, 2007) Section 3 of the MHA allows a patient to be detained for treatment within a hospital setting for a period of up to 6 months to allow for treatment programme (DH, 1983). Jane’s health had deteriorated over a period of seven days, after she had stopped taking her anti-psychotic medication weeks ago, resulting in the current episode of manic behaviour.
Additionally, correctional psychologists are on-call to handle emergency situations involving mentally ill inmates, such as hostage negotiations and crisis intervention. The treatment of mentally ill individuals in jails and prisons is a prominent concern that is becoming more so as more ill individuals are sentenced to jail and prison stays. Currently, the United States correctional facilities are the largest provider of mental health services. (Reingle Gonzalez, et al.
There are so many types of mental illnesses that affect people every day. When some people think of mental illnesses they think of the ones that would cause people to have physical symptoms as well, but that’s untrue, there are many more that you would never know anyone has if you were to see them on the street. As defined by the 2008 encyclopedia “a mental illness is any disease of the mind or brain that seriously affects a person’s ability or behavior. Symptoms of a mental illness may include extreme moods, such as excessive sadness or anxiety, or a decreased ability to think clearly or remember well.” A mentally ill person has severe symptoms that damage the person’s ability to function in everyday activities and situations. Every nation and every economic level can be affected by a mental illness. In the United States alone about 3% of the population has severe mental illness and to add to that number about 40% of people will experience a type of mental illness at least once in their lives. Some cases of mental illnesses can go away on their own, but some cases are so severe that they require professional treatment. There is so much more available to help people recover from their symptoms than in the past.
The development of mental health policy has gone through many changes in the course of the twentieth century. Today, mental health policy is totally different from the policy hundreds of years ago. Because of this, it is important to emphasize the fact that mental health policy has shifted from the indifference and isolation of people with mental illness, to the delivery of social services and community integration. In other words, mental health policy has experienced a serious change that has changed the attitude of policy makers, health care professionals, ordinary people, and also to people with a mental illness. Today, people with mental health problems are no longer outsiders as they used to be. Instead they are seen as people who have different needs and social geared towards their integration into the community. The federal government now has a policy that addresses the problems faced by people with mental illness, gives the community a chance to understand these people, and sets a standard in providing mental health services. There are over seventy actions in The Federal Mental Health Action Agenda. “It offers an unprecedented opportunity to fundamentally alter the form and function of the mental health service delivery system in this country to one that puts individuals-adults with mental illnesses, children with emotional disturbances, and family members-at its very core” (The Federal Action Agenda: First Steps. Web. 24 Mar. 2014).
The mental health assessment is a crucial part in everyday nursing care as it evaluates an individual’s mental condition to assess for risk factors of mental illnesses and provide optimal care and treatment. Mental health is described as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” (CDC) If the patient not mentally healthy, they can develop mentally illnesses, which can affect treatment and the disease process of physical ailments because without mental health a person cannot be completely healthy. “Suicide Risk Assessment in High Risk Adolescents” is a nursing article that outlines suicide risk factors and prevention strategies for assist nurses in performing mental health assessments. Suicide, the act of
A mental health counselor develops a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families and groups to accomplish mental health and career goals. Helping others to accomplish their goals and listening to various stories of hardship have always played a part in my life. Stories of others have helped me get through rough times, and so did my own personal stories do the same for others. My story may help save a life tomorrow. It is a rewarding career path that one may enjoy which requires excellent communication skills and a commit between each other.
Since the 1800s, treatment methods for mental illness have developed significantly worldwide. From electrotherapy to modern practices like psychotherapy, treatment for mental disorders has greatly progressed as scientists and psychologists learn more information on the causes of mental illness and the best therapy for each particular disease. The past 200 years mark the most defined era since the beginning of humans for the progression of treatment for mental illness. Not only has treatment improved for the mentally ill, but also the perception of mental illness has greatly changed and will continue to do so as more is learned about the human mind.
The second consultant must issue a certificate stating that you should be detained because of a mental disorder or must discharge you. If you are detained then you are an involuntary patient and all the procedures relating to information, review and appeal apply in the usual way. Involuntary Admission Under the Mental Act 2001 , you may be involuntary admitted and detained in an approved psychiatric Centre if you are suffering from a mental disorder. You may not be admitted because you are suffering from a personality disorder, socially deviant or addicted to drugs or intoxicants.
Mental health refers to the state of individuals psychologically, emotionally and socially. Mental health affects a person’s emotions, feelings, thoughts, and sections when exposed to different situations. Furthermore, mental health is responsible for a person’s reaction to stress and other social conditions. Generally, mental health affects how a person relates to others and their ability to understand and interact with them. Therefore, problems that affect a person’s mental health affect the abilities to socialize, their feelings, moods, reaction to situations. The person experiencing mental health problem may portray different behaviors when confronted with different issues. Mental health issues have several