Mental Illness is a problem only growing in the criminal justice system. According to Dean Afurheide on the Health Affairs Blog in 2015, the number of average beds in a state mental hospital have dropped from an average of 339 beds per 100,000 people in 1955 to less than 20 beds per 100,000 by 2015. This means there are 10 times as many people with a mental illness in our prisons and jails than in our state mental hospitals. Some prisons and states are beginning to change their policies however, there is still a long way to go in many places to get people the care they need.
The lack of space and care for those with a mental illness who cannot afford the high cost of health care only continues to rise. Low income communities are impacted highly because many cannot even afford or have the resources to the first step of healing, being diagnosed. This is a big issue in our criminal justice system because those who have not been diagnosed to begin with and end up in prison may not receive the care they need to be healthy.
The lack of space and care for those with a mental illness who cannot afford the high cost of health care only continues to rise. Low income communities are impacted highly because many cannot even afford or have the resources to the first step of healing, being diagnosed. This is a big issue in our criminal justice system because those who have not been diagnosed to begin with and end up in prison may not receive the care they need to be healthy.
How is the lack of mental health services related to our criminal justice system?
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