MIWatch - Loathsome prison conditions for mentally ill

 

With one psychiatrist for every 1,000 inmates, and more than two dozen current investigations into civil rights violations, America faces a human rights crisis in its jails and prisons. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill) called current practices of incarcerating people with a mental illness "loathsome, indefensible." Durbin chaired yesterday's congressional hearings, "Human Rights at Home: Mental Illness in U.S. Prisons and Jails."

The United States has the world's highest rate of putting people behind bars, and in the federal prisons, 45 percent of them have a mental illness. The rates are higher in state prisons (56%), and local jails (64%) said Sen. Durbin who lamented the country has taken a "step backward in time." He noted a "growing public revulsion."

Testimony of seven witnesses spelled out details, starting with the intake of inmates who have a mental illness or substance use disorder. Also noted are:

•solitary confinement for symptomatic behavior;
•lack of on-site psychiatrists;
•revolving doors of psychologists and psychiatrists;
•high rates of suicide;
•the transfer of youngsters to juvenile justice system to enable them to receive mental health treatment……
BuzzNet Tags: mental illness,prison

A two-hour webcast is available (perhaps temporarily), as is testimony at the website of the Senate Judiciary Committee

MIWatch - Loathsome prison conditions for mentally ill