Major Lack of Mental Health Care in U.S. Prisons

Author: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Published: 2015/01/12 - Updated: 2025/02/06
Publication Type: Findings
Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Psychological Disorders - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis Introduction Main

Synopsis: Research shows American state and federal prisoners are not receiving treatment for mental health conditions.

Why it matters: This report from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston examines the inadequate mental health care provided to state and federal prisoners. It highlights that while 26% of prisoners reported a mental health diagnosis, only 42% in state prisons and 52% in federal prisons received medication during their sentence. The study emphasizes the need for standardized mental health screening and consistent treatment to address the high rates of mental health disorders among incarcerated individuals. This information is crucial for policymakers, correctional facility administrators, and healthcare professionals working to improve mental health services within the prison system - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

A significant portion of state and federal prisoners are not receiving treatment for mental health conditions, according to research by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health. The study was published recently in the American Journal of Public Health.

Main Item

Mental health disorders among prisoners have consistently exceeded rates of disorders in the general population. Twenty six percent of prisoners reported a mental health diagnosis in the study, compared to 18 percent in the general population in 2012, according to the National Institutes of Health.

State and federal courts mandate that inmates must have access to adequate health services in prison. However, that mandate usually covers only "severe or serious" mental illnesses, according to the paper.

"Individuals with untreated mental health conditions may be at higher risk for correctional rehabilitation treatment failure and future recidivism - tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior - after release from prison," said Jennifer Reingle, Ph.D., principal investigator and assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences at UTHealth School of Public Health Dallas Regional Campus.

Data was obtained from a 2004 national sample of state and federal prisoners, which included 14,499 participants in state prisons and 3,686 in federal prisons:

"Screening tools are not consistent across prisons and inmates could be diagnosed with different conditions or not diagnosed at all when they get transferred to a new location," said Reingle. "A standardized mental health screening process could benefit the inmates and the prison system as a whole."

This study also found evidence of racial disparities in medication continuity:

In the study, researchers concluded that of the participants who were taking medication for a mental health condition in prison, 61 percent used no other form of treatment. A more holistic, multidimensional approach to treatment, such as counseling or group therapy, may lead to better outcomes and lower recidivism rates in this population, said Reingle.

Attribution/Source(s):
This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and published on 2015/01/12 (Edit Update: 2025/02/06), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston can be contacted at uth.edu. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Cite This Page (APA): University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. (2015, January 12 - Last revised: 2025, February 6). Major Lack of Mental Health Care in U.S. Prisons. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved February 7, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/psychological/prison.php

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