Imprisonment Worsens Mental Health Problems

The image to the left is an Angela Davis quote that describes what prisons do to regular prisoners. It can only be inferred how bad this is for mentally ill prisoners. They are treated like animals instead of people. Just like stated “Prisons do not disappear social problems, they disappear human beings.” This means after mentally ill criminals get out of prison there problems will not be changed. Mental illness is what makes them commit the crime worse crimes could occur after release from prison.

This photo shows the severe conditions that existed before deinstitutionalization in 1960. This is exactly why people do not believe in mental intuitions. The severe mistreatment that took place in early years have skewed people’s perceptions of the purpose of these institutions. The purpose is to help the mentally ill not to hurt or imprison them like this image shows.

Imprisonment Worsens Mental Health Problems

The image to the left might be the most useful one in this essay. The facts stated on this image show the little that we know as a society about mental health patients. It shows that you cannot truly understand mental health problems unless you have experienced them. Every fact that is stated in this image are not understood by people think the solution for mental health criminals is imprisonment. This shows we are uneducated as a culture about this topic.

Imprisonment Worsens Mental Health Problems

These quotes are extremely meaningful because they are coming from mentally ill patients themselves. These are thoughts that are going through their mind that normal people would not understand. Studying previous images of prisons, we can infer that the patients would feel even less comfortable in their own skin in insolation and treated like an animal. Respecting them like people instead of punishing them will help them to heal. The last quote about bipolar disorder is extremely important because this is one of the most common and severe mental illnesses next to depression. This is showing the severity of bipolar disorder and that it should not be taken lightly or as a joke.

The image below shows three components to change how we think as a culture about mentally ill criminals. Firstly, we need to understand the importance of intervention for the patients. This will help them feel a sense of love and belongingness which is part of the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The second is prevention. This means “building community” of getting mentally ill the help they need before they commit a crime. The third is resilience this is getting through tough times and educating those that have already committed crimes. Resilience will be what saves us as a culture long term and keeps the ill out of prisons.

Imprisonment Worsens Mental Health Problems

This is an abstract image that shows that mentally ill are already prisoners even without committing a crime. They are prisoners of their own thoughts and doubts. This may be worse than physical prison for them and this is what causes them to commit crimes and acts of violence. They have no way to cope with their own negative emotions. It is important we try to understand these emotions and get them the preventative help they need. The imprisonment they give to themselves is by far enough of a punishment for them and they don’t need more.