Prisoners and Mental Health Statistics

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, in the U.S about 10.6 million people go to jail and 6 lakh people enter prison each year. Many  people experience pre-existing psychological issues. And some people are mentally healthy before their arrest. But, they develop mental health symptoms once they live in prison.

 

Being in prison causes serious effects on the mental health of a person. New issues often occur and pre-existing conditions may worsen. Unfortunately, a lot of people are released back into the community without ever getting any type of treatment.

 

In this article we will discuss prisoners and mental health statistics related to them.

What is the most common mental illness people experience in prisons?

According to National Institute of Health (NIH) the most common mental disorders among prison population are:

• Severe depression (44% and 31.2%, respectively)

• generalized anxiety disorder (30.9 and 44.4%, respectively)

 

What percentage of mental health problems have their onset during childhood?

20% of adolescents may face a mental health problem in any year. 50% of mental health issues are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.

 

Who discovered mental illness?

In the 1880s, German psychiatrist, Emil Kraepelin (1856–1926), started to scientifically examine psychological illness and separated manic depressive psychosis from schizophrenia. So, Emil Kraepelin discovered mental illness.

 

Prisoners and mental health statistics of different countries

In Italy more than 40% and in the Netherlands about 60% of individuals who live in prisons suffer from at least one psychological disorder. In Ireland, about 70% of people in prison experience a personality disorder and in England and Wales, 70% of women and 48% of men in prison have mental health problems.

 

Furthermore, a latest study from Canada, Columbia and British found that admission numbers of prisoners who have both mental health issues and substance use disorders has doubled over the past 8 years. The low preferences offered to mental healthcare in a lot of prison systems is established by the lack of qualified mental health staff.

 

In India, there is only one psychiatrist or psychologist for every 16,503 people who live in prison. While 21 states don’t have any psychologists or psychiatrists. Prisons located in conflict-affected and fragile settings, and also those located in rural and remote locations, don’t have basic human needs such as specialized mental health professionals.

 

A new review of practices in 8 European countries showed that although prison officers play a influential role in identifying and supporting individuals with mental illness in prisons, caring or training for people with mental health disorders is reduced to a bare minimum or rarely provided, leading to insufficient support for arrested people who suffer from psychological disorders.

 

Prisoners and mental health statistics of general population all across the world

It is estimated that about 18% of the general population experience a psychological disorder. About 37% of those in prison and 44% of those in jail have a mental illness. 11% of individuals aged 18-25 and 16% of those above 25 have substance abuse disorder. 58% of people in prison and 63% in jail experience a substance use disorder.

 

Individuals with these disorders have difficulties in getting proper treatment and these symptoms become worse over time. This leads to people staying in jail for a longer duration than those who don’t have behavioral health concerns.

 

Upon release from prison, individuals with behavioral health issues go through many barriers to productive reentry into the community, such as lack of stable housing, education, job skills, health care, and poor connection with community behavioral health teams.These factors cause them to recommit their crimes and rearrest.

 

Prisoners and mental health statistics according to Bureau of Justice Statistics

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics the prisoner reported faces serious psychological distress (SPD) during the 30 days before interview and they have a history of mental health problems. Below findings are based on self-reported data from a survey in 2016 of Prison Inmates.

 

• About 14% of state and 8% of federal prisoners experience SPD (serious psychological distress) for past 30 days

 

• In state (19%) or federal (17%) female prisoners were more likely than males in federal (7%) or state (14%) prisons to experience SPD during the past 30 days.

 

• Around 43% of prisoners in state and 23% of federal prisoners had a history of psychological issues.

 

• It is estimated that 14% of federal and 27% of state prisoners had a major depressive disorder, which is the most common psychological  disorder reported.

Prisoners and mental health statistics according to World Health Organization

The survey that is conducted in 2021, takes a reappraisal look at the previous year. Below are some main findings from the report.

 

• In 2020, 613unsentenced  people and 497 sentenced people who are grabbed in prison were arrested in the 36 countries surveyed. This indicates a decrease of around 6% as compared to 2019, as a result of COVID-19 measures. In 2020, unsentenced people in prison increased also more likely due to COVID-19 pandemic.

 

• The most popular condition among individuals in prison was mental health disorders. Mental health disorders affected 8%of the prison population. This figure likely shows a particular under-reporting as most chronic diseases were poorly recorded and analyzes were lower than expected. A lot of countries were surveyed but fewer than half of the countries provided data. Suicide is the most common cause of death in prisons with a very higher rate than in the community as a whole.

 

• The rate of psychologists working in prisons is greater than the average in the Region, but, suicide rates in prison are comparatively higher as compared to the general population.

 

• Persistentcare needs greater investment, with only half of Member States succeeding in the approach to community health services to individuals after release from prison.

 

• In prisons the overall response to COVID-19 all around the Region has been good. Vaccines and isolation of COVID-19 cases has been offered  worldwide in all Member States in most prisons.

• It is reported that 1in 5 Member States has been overcrowded. It has many negative consequences for health.

• Alternative prison measures should be keptin mind for crimes that do not cause a high risk to society and where more efficient measures exist, like departure to treatment for substance use disorders.

 

The treatment of individuals having mental illness in prisons and jails

The treatment of persons with mental illness in prisons and jails is critical, specifically since such people are helpless and commonly abused while imprisoned. Untreated mental illness often gets worse, and they leave prison or jail more sicker than when they entered. People in prison and jails have rights to get medical care, and this right also belongs to severe mental illness just as it belongs to diabetes, tuberculosis, or hypertension.

 

How to improve mental health in prisons

Following tips may help to improve mental health in prisons:

• Always take care of yourself

• Share your problems other people

• Try to learn something new

• Think in a positive way

• Keeping yourself busy

• Start making new plans

• Build positive relations with others

• Think about reducing stress with the help of mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation

• Try to keep in touch

• Do good with others