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Untreated Mental Illness In Prisons

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Untreated mental illness is dangerous and over time we have learned that locking people with a mental illness is not the solution but makes it worse. People with untreated mental illness face many consequences. “People with untreated psychiatric illnesses comprise 250,000 people, of the total homeless population” (mentalillnesspolicy.org). The quality of life for these individuals is extremely heart breaking, and many are victimized regularly. There are also cost to the communities, people with untreated MH issues end up in hospitals, shelters or jail. “In 2011, there were about 240,000 seriously mentally ill people in prisons and 125,000 in jails, an additional 770,000 seriously mentally ill are on probation or parole. There are now more than ten times more seriously mentally ill persons in jails and prisons than in state hospitals” (mentalillnesspolicy.org). …show more content…

“The Department of Justice report found: of spouses killed by spouse 12.3 percent of defendants had a history of untreated mental illness; of children killed by parent 15.8 percent of defendants had a history of untreated mental illness; of parents killed by children 25.1 percent of defendants had a history of untreated mental illness; and of siblings killed by sibling 17.3 percent of defendants had a history of untreated mental illness”

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