U.S. Department of Justice

Download Information

Prevalence of Serious Mental Illness Among Jail Inmates

Publication year: 2009 | Cataloged on: Jul. 16, 2009
ANNOTATION: The current rates of mental illness among inmates in five jails (two in Maryland and three in New York) are investigated. There are 13.5% male and 31.0% female inmates with serious mental illness. While "[t]here is broad consensus that jails are not the optimal settings to provide acute psychiatric treatment . . . the substantial presence of individuals with serious mental illnesses in our country's jails . . . calls for a clearer explication of the contributing factors and discussion of appropriate responses" (p. 765).
Share This
[+] feedback