On Mental Illness, Inmates, And Recidivism
The admittedly small and self-selected group of inmates that I provide psychotherapy for on a weekly basis at our local county jail has inspired my curiosity about the mental and emotional health of general inmate populations throughout the United States. Of special interest are persistent reports about growing numbers of inmates coupled with correctional facility overcrowding. In part these swelling numbers are no doubt due to high recidivism rates, and this “revolving door” phenomenon has in recent years generated interest among researchers and officials partly in response to the rising perception of our correctional facilities as the new warehouses for mentally ill, developmentally disadvantaged, and emotionally disturbed individuals.
