Prison conditions

Anyone reading this blog knows that jails and prisons usually exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, both because individuals with serious brain disorders are frequently placed in solitary confinement and because they often are not given the necessary medication to control their symptoms.

Today a private national commission issued a major report on prison conditions for all inmates, which contains some interesting information. The report was the subject of a congressional hearing this afternoon. Both may draw more attention to the plight of people with mental illnesses behind bars.

There's a section supporting more media access to prisons (interesting, and may bring more stories) – the report also says …

“Finally, along with committing more funds to care for mentally ill prisoners, states and counties need to expand treatment in the community. Our jails and prisons should not function as mental institutions.”