Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story By Daniel H. Birman
Rehabilitating the Criminally Insane In Daniel H. Birman’s heart-wrenching documentary Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story, viewers meet Cyntoia Brown a troubled young girl whose traumatic life leads to a murder charge. Delving further into the film, the audience learns of Brown’s diagnosis of Border Line Personality Disorder a chronic mental illness. After her fate is sealed with a life sentence viewers are left with a lingering question: how can the mentally ill be provided with adequate treatment in prison? Regrettably, studies are showing that mentally ill inmates are not being provided sufficient care to be properly rehabilitated. Understaffing of mental health professionals, ill-equipped facilities, and excessive use of solitary confinement are all contributing factors to the failing treatment of mentally ill inmates. Due to the inability to successfully treat mental illnesses behind bars these inmates are suffering. Numerous mentally ill inmates are victimized by other inmates, commit suicide, or find themselves in a cycle of facing reimprisonment upon release. Strategic and comprehensive treatment programs need to be implemented in prisons to combat these issues. Qualified mental health professionals, expunging the use of solitary confinement, and …show more content…
There is a broad spectrum of mental illnesses. Different illnesses correlate with different treatments. For example, Cyntoia Brown’s Borderline Personality Disorder is characterized by mood swings, impulsive behavior, and unstable relationships. While medication like antidepressants are often prescribed to treat symptoms associated with Borderline Personality Disorder, psychotherapy is the core treatment to manage it. Borderline Personality Disorder also resembles Bipolar Disorder and is often misdiagnosed in patients. Having credible health professionals will ensure inmates receive accurate treatment and be reevaluated if
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