The Mental Illness Dr. Terry Kupers - 1431 Words

There are three common reasons for the mentally ill to be prevalent to isolation in our prisons systems (Torrey, 1997). First, those prisoners with preexisting mental illness may find it difficult to conform to prison regulations. They are therefore are often placed in solitary confinement for disciplinary purposes or administrative reasons. Second, many prisoners who are placed in solitary confinement develop severe mental illness as a result of the extreme isolation. Dr. Terry Kupers, one of the foremost psychologists on the impact of solitary confinement on mental health, explained: Being asked whether prisoners with serious mental illness are selectively sent to punitive segregation, or whether the harsh conditions of isolation and idleness cause psychiatric DE compensation in a vulnerable sub-population of prisoners. Of course, both mechanisms of isolation and segregation are in play and is of deep concern to all (Knowles, 2015). Third and lastly, mentally ill prisoners in isola tion are more likely to violate prison rules and fail the requirements of so-called step-down programs, thus prolonging their solitary sentences. The confluence of these three factors has led to high rates of mentally ill inmates being confined in isolation. Empirical studies show that solitary confinement is linked to suicidal thoughts, impaired concentration, confusion, depression, anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations making it a clear factor in the increase numbers of mentally ill inmatesShow MoreRelatedCriminalization of the Mentally Ill1319 Words   |  6 Pagescare giver maybe; But lacking in sufficient resources to deal with individuals suffering from mental illness. The justice system is at a disadvantage when handling the mentally ill often times arresting and jailing them instead of using the proper mental health services. There is a greater possibility of the mentally ill being processed through the criminal justice system instead of through the mental health system. Why are the mentally ill more likely to end up in being rotated amongst the justice