Prison and Mental Health

Once one is in the process of serving jail term he or she is referred to an inmate. Inmates are for a long-term been found suffering from mental illnesses. The condition has been one great challenge that is very difficult to deal with. Prison mental illness is a broad aspect that has undergone various researchers in the search for a permanent solution. Different scholars have given out their views on this condition that faces prisoners to a large extent. 2016) prisoners are subjected to the danger all-cause mortality, cases of self- harm, victimization, and violence. There has been a large limitation of high-quality healing trials for psychiatric disorders in prisons. Statement of the Problem The desire to curb and reduce as well as treating mental illness among inmates has grown to be a great challenge.

Due to the increased number of inmates in the prison to an extent of over 10 million annually worldwide. Unlike this number, there have been records of low rates of identification and measures of treating psychiatric disorders. The research questions involved in the study included; 1. What is the impact of the time spent in prison on the mental health of prisoners? 2. What is the perception of prisoners on their life in prison? 3. What extent do prisoners with mental health problems access health services while serving their jail terms? 1. Objectives of the Study. The study is important in various ways and to specific groups of people. Firstly, it is significant to the policymakers because they can utilize it to make a national policy on how to control the effects of mental illnesses among inmates.

Furthermore, the study will improve our understanding of the mental health problems among inmates regarding the following issues: Perception of prisoners on their jail life. How the time that a prisoner stays in jail affects the mental health of prisoners. Limitation of the Study During the study, this research project was restricted by a number of factors where the main constraints that were noted include time and finance. Organization of the Study This research project is grouped into five chapters wherein the first one, the research commences with an introduction as well as the background was discussed. Chapter two, the literature review, is related to the research project to give more light on the concepts and past research on prison and mental health, and the research methodology is covered in chapter three.

In chapter four, the research project deals with data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Finally, in the fifth chapter, the study deals with the summary of findings, the conclusion as well as the recommendations to the relevant authorities. Definition of Terms. The depressive cognitions among inmates can be learnt socially through observation by observing the ability or inability of prisoners to deal with stress. The y could also originate from lack of experience in similar circumstances leading to the failure of the mind to develop in a manner that it becomes adaptive. According to this particular theory the thinking of the depressed people is normally very different from that of non-depressed 1people hence their disparities. The tend to think about everything in a negative manner.

The negative judgement and thinking make these people to perceive negative situation as really worse when they are bad hence increasing the probability of developing depressive symptoms in the dodging of stressful situation (Capuzzi &Stauffer, 2016). The prisoners are in vain of having their essentials and their rights and therefore having them stressed and pressed up by the issues those that are enforced to attend to. This gave the prisoners the mental straining and therefore making them have the pressure to work regardless of their health and even the gender (Boyd, Powell & Lewis, 2018). The rate of the increase within a year was reported to be increasing at a very high rate that is of over 25% in less than a year. The statistics found that, males who had been reported to be in the prison for the last nine years are about 0.

55 times deviating to have been experiencing stress over many times of the years (Fazel et al. The number of inmates in Florida for example, the number of prisoners who have a less level of mental conditions ranges from 7581 to about 10596 within a period of four years while those who have a high-level range a deviation of about 250. Having the inmate experience with the prisoners has the valuation of the managing situations to the prisoners’ value of thinking and opinion giving (Fazel et al. Depression of the prisoners was noted to have raised highly from the research of the statistical affairs in the match out of the prisoner with the mental health issues and applauds. This notes a clear and detailed information of the affected (Fazel et al.

The common types of mental illnesses seen on inmates by researchers are uniform to those that are found in people who are not prisoners (Boyd, Powell & Lewis, 2018). In the US federal system prisons, the rates in percentage were as follows; 33% were convicted of violence against other 13% inmates. In local jails, the study found that it was 30% visa vis 26% of their colleagues (Fazel et al. The researcher also found out that about one of the inmates out of a group of five was found to be mentally sick (McKenna et al. Using his research, the study would be able to start being aware of certain issues that surpass mentally ill prisoners. The data obtained from this study suggests that there are high levels of inmates affected by mental illnesses (Boyd, Powell & Lewis, 2018).

These are the other possible effects of mental illness among inmates (Fazel et al. Violence is a less researched aspect though it is too much evidence in prisons. The most common type of violence reported among prisoners with mental health is the non-lethal to lethal prisoner assaults physically. A recent research done in the US showed that the inmate-inmate violence attacks in a span of six months' jail term were 1. 67 % inmates while the violent assaults on inmates versus staff were 645 per 100,000 members. Studies suggest that the decline in the mental health by the rising rates of the suicide cases. Mental health improvements for those in the prison were requiring an effecting step in the review that ensures that there is the change in the resources.

The clinical care is accessible but to some few people in the prison those that have the general reform to the affordability of the healthcare centres (McKenna et al. The self-harm among the prisoners together with the committing of suicide has had a turnout to proving that there have been a decrease in the mental health in the prison affairs (Tilahun et al. Prisons are bad places for people living with mental disorders. Some nations to it reduce the number of people lacking medical treatment due to the lack of services. Individuals associated with drug and substance disorders and happened to commit offenses are normally sent to jail rather than being subjected to treatment for the disorder (World Health Organization book 2015).

The World health organization report further discusses the presence of effective treatment resources but they are wasted. Only a few people get the treatment after wasted the limited resources available (McKenna et al. The disclosure of the illnesses by the prisoners provides the convenience and the valuation of the healthcare units which avail to the gapping and sorting of the wellness of the members in the prisons. All these aspects are well discussed in this chapter. It also touches on the analysis of the target population and the techniques of data analysis that were applicable to the study. Research Design and Research Strategy. The research was based on a qualitative and quantitative research design. The design was favored because it was exploratory and helped the researcher to have an in-depth analysis on the secondary resources.

Internet research was steered by the research questions that shaped the objectives sought and hypothesis tested in the study. Published summaries and reports from various organizations, data collected by other scholars, governments as well as other statistical institutions were used in informing the study. Secondary data sources opted for the study since they were considered to be not only time-saving but also resource efficient as they called for reduced investment in personnel. The secondary data was chosen for the study since it was easily accessible because the primary individuals who gathered and analyzed it placed it for access to anyone in need. Reliable, valid, relevant and consistent data sources were used in the study preceded by a chronological and systematic data cleaning process via analytical and critical reasoning approaches rather than the direct and unreasoned presentation of secondary data.

It was done to ensure that the research met the required aims. The research data analysis commenced by measuring the match between the secondary data in the internet with the research objectives and questions as well as the hypothesis. Only the sources which were found to be best were used. It also used the theoretical review of literature. All these was aimed at meeting the study rationale professionally as well as informed reasoning. The study has found that the prison is a great contributor among inmates. Scholars state that the length of the jail term is a great factor that makes prisoners become mentally disturbed (Boyd, Powell & Lewis, 2018). In an instance where a prisoner jailed for life, they tend to become mentally disturbed.

Those who are not mentally strong are made to be negotiated and being given the level of the analysis that is not valuable to the findings. The major data in the field aimed at by the risked values of the attainment of the vitalities off the fields actually (Boyd, Powell & Lewis, 2018). The reactions of prisoners once stressed by intruded privacy are adverse. The study found that lack of privacy was one of the major factors in the prison setting that leads to mental illnesses. The government denies this and bases the arguments on the category that there is a great challenge that have been hindering the development of the projects of the health centres within the prison premises (McKenna et al.

The jailed members have held a basis on being valued being well when they have the cases of committing suicide and having some cases of self-injuries to themselves. This is the period when the entire premises holds the details to the valuation of the prisoners being on the well health case and reporting the degrading mental health value to the management (McKenna et al. The research also found that the time inmates spend in the prison has a great impact on their mental health. So many prisoners were found to have developed the mental problems while in prison as well as conditions of others worsening while in prison. The study also found that the access to medical health care was not good in prisons.

The resources were greatly wasted and only a few reached the inmates. The ratio of prisoners to the medical health practitioners was unproportioned. The aspect mounts pressure on the prison services hence making them unable to meet the demands of mental health cases. Recommendations The process of maintaining inmate’s public healthy must be a priority. The treatment, prevention and control of mental illnesses is incorporable into the goals and objectives of prisons. Countries with limited resources should incorporate mental health with their policies during the time of formulation. Important steps are applicable to nature and make good the mental health of inmates and prison staff. It will help the prison staff to know how to handle prisoners and prevent things like suicides.

The other measure recommended is ensuring high standards of prison management. It ensures that the prisoners with mental problems are handled with the right measures pertaining their condition. Matters like the sanitation of their food, dwellings and also prevention of physical assaults are taken care of. The government should also ensure that the needs of inmates are factored in the national mental health plans and policies. and Lewis, C. , 2018, March. Tracking implementation strategies in a community mental health implementation initiative. In IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE(Vol. 236 GRAYS INN RD, FLOOR 6, LONDON WC1X 8HL, ENGLAND: BIOMED CENTRAL LTD. , Jones, A. L. , Delany-Brumsey, A. , Coles, C. and Cochran, S. and Pillai, K. Mental health care and treatment in prisons: a new paradigm to support best practice.