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2011 Archive
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Author(s): AnnaMaria Ayala-Salas
Presentation: oral
For years, mental institutions have been shut down nationwide in order to cut government costs. Unfortunately, funds were never relocated to any type of program to help the thousands of mentally ill within our country. Without any kind of help, our mentally ill are now roaming the streets with limited resources. Because many of them are not getting medications, therapy, or treatment of any kind, they are landing in the prison system. In this paper, I have detailed how the mentally ill become involved in the criminal justice system and what exactly it means to be mentally ill in the prison system—from the “treatment” provided to the abuses heaped on these inmates on a daily basis. I detail how many prison officials choose to handle these illnesses. I also discuss treatments that professionals recommend for such illnesses and how some efforts are being made to change the way inmates with mental illnesses are handled.
The College of Idaho 2112 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 8360 USA 208-459-5011 800-2C-IDAHO