Reducing Mental Health Recidivism in Correctional Facilities - Article Example

? REDUCING MENTAL HEALTH RECIDIVISM IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES here] of [Due paper] The aim of this research was to find the most effective ways to reduce mental health recidivism in correctional facilities. The researcher determined the extent to which different techniques can be used to reduce mental health recidivism in correctional facilities. The researcher used questionnaires to determine the success level of different recidivism reduction methods. Ten correctional officers and twenty-five prisoners were interviewed to gather information about effectiveness of recidivism reduction methods. In the study, the researcher used peer reviewed journal articles to find scholarly support for the best recidivism reduction methods. The research revealed that mental illness treatment and employment services are the most effective methods that can be used to reduce mental health recidivism in correctional facilities. Introduction Mental health recidivism refers to the relapse of a prisoner’s mental health due to provision of improper rehabilitation services. Criminals, who do not receive proper mental health treatment during imprisonment, show a higher degree of recidivism as compared to the prisoners who receive proper rehabilitation services. Rate of recidivism is the degree to which criminals come back to prison either for the same offense or for some other criminal offense. A higher rate of recidivism indicates lack of rehabilitation services for prisoners because of which they cannot stop themselves from relapsing into criminal activities upon release from the prisons. It also increases government expenses in terms of incarceration and trial expenses, as well as causes threat to the overall peace of society. On the other hand, a lower degree of mental health recidivism indicates presence of a proper correctional management system which performs its role efficiently to improve the negative mindset of criminals. A number of mental health recidivism-reduction methods are available which can help correctional officers reduce the rate of recidivism among prison inmates. Some of those methods include educational programs, employment programs, treatment programs, parole based programs, and faith based programs. However, mental illness treatment and employment programs work best for reducing mental health recidivism rates. In this paper, we will examine the extent to which mental illness treatment and employment programs help prisoners recover from mental illness and serve the society as normal citizens. We will review existing literature to gather detailed information. Methodology We used questionnaires and personal interviews to determine the role of mental illness treatment and employment programs in reducing the rate of mental health recidivism. We interviewed ten correctional officers and twenty-five prisoners from three different prisons to gather information about the current rate of recidivism and the types of rehabilitation services that are provided to prisoners. The questionnaire was able to obtain relevant information about the past imprisonment histories of the prisoners. The prisons visited for research included Albion Correctional Facility, Bare Hill Correctional Facility, and Buffalo Correctional Facility. All of these prisons are located in New York. Results The results of the research indicated that rehabilitation services being provided to prisoners in these prisons are not up to the standards. The recidivism reduction programs implemented in Albion Correctional Facility and Bare Hill Correctional Facility include treatment for substance abuse, treatment for mental illness, and employment programs. On the other hand, the recidivism reduction techniques being used in Buffalo Correctional Facility include employment and educational programs. One-third of the mentally ill prisoners revealed that they have been imprisoned for more than two times in their lives. They said that correctional officers do not give proper attention to the needs of mentally ill prisoners. They just put them in prisons and hardly come back to know about the status of their mental health, as well as about the provision of rehabilitation services. Two-third of prisoners revealed that they do not get individual attention during rehabilitation and that there is no such thing that can stop them from committing crimes again upon their release from prisons. They said that they do not get respect from any one in the world which is the main reason for them to commit crimes again upon release. Some prisoners revealed that although correctional authorities implement educational, employment, and treatment programs to make prisoners come back to normal life, but they do not provide employment and educational opportunities to mentally ill prisoners. They also revealed that correctional officers discriminate between normal and mentally ill prisoners. Three prisoners even revealed a very shocking aspect of the behaviors of correctional officers. They said that some officers provide jail employment opportunities to their preferred prisoners. On the other hand, correctional officers revealed that they provide equal employment opportunities to all prisoners and that they rank prisoners for provision of employment opportunities according to mental health. Discussion The results of the research have led the way towards identifying the need of implementing the best rehabilitation programs for reducing the rate of mental health recidivism among inmates. Although the correctional facilities visited for the research provide rehabilitation services to prisoners, but they need to implement a proper mechanism which should ensure the provision of those services to all prisoners without any discrimination. Moreover, correctional authorities should give extra attention to mentally ill prisoners because they need extra care to come back to normal life. Provision of competent care is one of the best ways to prevent recidivism among prisoners (Lamberti, 2007). Use of private prisons is very effective because they deal with mentally ill prisoners in a more effective way as compared to public prisons. Fair treatment is the key towards proper rehabilitation of inmates. As Ball (2007) states, “mentally ill prisoners receive inadequate medical and psychiatric care, serve longer terms than the average inmate, and are released without adequate preparation and support for their return to society” (p. 1). Correctional authorities should not treat mentally ill prisoners in an unfair manner because it destroys their intention to come back to normal life. Researches have proved that mental health recidivism rate in mentally ill prisoners is somewhat high in all correctional facilities as compared to normal prisoners. The reason is that mental health recidivism increases when a person feels ignored and isolated from the society based on his/her mental state. Such feelings make them think negatively and their chances of engaging in criminal activities increase. Therefore, correctional authorities should treat all prisoners equally in order to speed up their mental health recovery process. As Ball (2007) states, “mentally ill inmates face much greater rates of administrative segregation, which leads to further mental deterioration and expensive stays in mental hospitals” (p. 1). It is the responsibility of correctional officers to introduce and implement such programs in their facilities which should focus the psychological and social needs of prison inmates. Educational programs and mental health treatment programs can work best for such people because they are aimed towards mental, educational, and social rehabilitation of prisoners. During rehabilitation, correctional officers also need to meet each prisoner personally in order to make them feel respected and valued. They should inquire about the social and emotional factors that make prisoners commit crimes repeatedly. Upon knowing the factors, the officers should arrange counseling programs to make prisoners come out of emotional and social stress. Implementation of mental illness treatment programs in correctional facilities is an effective way to reduce the rate of mental health recidivism among prisoners. Treatment programs should include delivery of psychological education to prisoners. Provision of psychological education is more necessary for mentally ill prisoners because it provides psychological relief and assistance to prisoners. Such education makes prisoners ready to cope with psychological stress and illness. A mentally ill person needs continuity of care reentry programs to become a normal person (Baillargeon, Binswanger, Penn, Williams, & Murray, 2009, p. 103). When an inmate does not get social acceptance, feelings of distress occur in his/her mind that make him/her go back to the way of crimes. Correctional authorities need to make such prisoners feel valued and honored by the society. As Prendergast (2009) states, “evaluations of prison treatment programs, which have focused mainly on therapeutic community programs, have found them to be effective” (p. 4). Correctional authorities should hire expert psychiatrists and therapists who should deal with such prisoners individually to work towards their psychological disorders in an appropriate manner. Another way to reduce recidivism among prisoners is to implement employment programs in which prison-based employment opportunities should be provided to prisoners. Although it is a costly method to reduce recidivism as it has to deal with mentally ill inmates, but its benefits, such as, reduced crimes and incarceration costs outweigh those costs. Correctional authorities should provide such employment opportunities without any favoritism. Employment opportunities help mentally ill prisoners divert their attention towards work instead of thinking of doing negative activities. Chances of mental health recidivism increase when a prisoner is not able to get a proper job upon release from the prison. As Visher, Winterfield, and Coggeshall (2005), “ex-offenders, especially those recently released from prison, face substantial barriers to many types of legal employment” (p. 295). The reason is that they do not have proper education or experience certificates which can help them get legal employment. Therefore, correctional authorities should issue job experience certificates to prisoners upon release from prisons in order to help them find work and live their lives in a constructive manner. Stable employment is the key towards post-release success of prison inmates. This is a community-centered approach towards mental health recidivism reduction as it helps inmates become skilled citizens who can serve the society as normal people. A community-centered approach to rehabilitation proves to be extremely beneficial for prisoners, as well as for the society (Golembeski, 2005, p. 1701). However, the key towards success of employment program is that it should be implemented in line with mental illness treatment program. The reason is that a person is able to deliver good performance only when he/she is mentally perfect. Therefore, correctional authorities should also provide psychological treatment to prisoners in order to make them able to function properly in assigned jobs. Conclusion Summing it up, mental health recidivism refers to the relapse of a prisoner’s mental health due to provision of improper rehabilitation services. Improper mental health treatment during imprisonment leads to higher rates of recidivism among inmates. A higher rate of recidivism indicates lack of rehabilitation services and it results in causing threat for public safety. A number of mental health recidivism-reduction methods are available which can help correctional authorities bring prison inmates to a normal and peaceful life. Use of private prisons is also effective for reducing mental health recidivism among mentally ill inmates because administrative authorities of those prisons pay huge attention to improve mental illness of prisoners. However, mental illness treatment and employment programs are the most appropriate mental health recidivism-reduction methods for prisoners. References Baillargeon, J., Binswanger, I., Penn, J., Williams, B., & Murray, O. (2009). Psychiatric disorders and repeat incarcerations: the revolving prison door. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 166(1), 103-109. Ball, W. (2007). Mentally ill prisoners in the California department of corrections and rehabilitation: strategies for improving treatment and reducing recidivism. Journal of Contemporary Law and Health Policy, 24(1), 1-42. Golembeski, C. (2005). Criminal (in) justice in the city and its associated health consequences. American Journal of Public Health, 95(10), 1701-1706. Lamberti, J. (2007). Understanding and preventing criminal recidivism among adults with psychotic disorders. Psychiatric Services, 58(6). Prendergast, M. (2009). Interventions to Promote Successful Re-Entry Among Drug-Abusing Parolees. Addict Sci Clin Pract., 5(1), 4-13. Visher, C., Winterfield, L., & Coggeshall, M. (2005). Ex-offender employment programs and recidivism: A meta-analysis. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 1(3), 295-316. Read More