Women in prison and why something needs to change

So this topic is slightly different than my last posts, but it is something that has had me thinking, and is also something I touched on in my papers.

A few days ago I was Facebook (I know, total waste of time) and came across a post from someone that said something along the lines of “why are you concerned about women in prison, they are there for a reason”.  I don’t know why it made me slightly mad, or maybe annoyed is a better word, but it did.  I almost replied to the post but decided not to get in a pointless debate with a stranger on the internet, because everybody knows nobody wins the internet…

Ok.  So my first problem with the statement “Why are you concerned about women in prison” is that I think we should all be concerned.  While the number of women in prisons is far less than men, according to much research I found-and some websites here and here-women have a much higher rate of mental health disorders, much higher rate of prior physical and/or sexual abuse, and substance abuse.  The women prison population is also rapidly growing.

Don’t get me wrong.  I am not excusing anybody committing a crime.  Unless you are fighting for your life I cannot think of a reason to commit a crime.  And I get that some people steal food to feed their families, deal because that’s what they grew up with and they don’t know any better, etc. etc.  These are all just more examples of how something is not working; people shouldn’t have to steal for their families to eat, people shouldn’t have to deal to support themselves/families because it’s how they grew up.  Something else should be done so things are not like that. 

But I do have problem with people not getting treatment for past abuse, substance abuse, and mental illness.  For many people in prison, treatment could help in so many more ways than prison.  I also think men could benefit from treatment.  I also know that treatment will not work unless the person is willing and ready to try it(and obviously many crimes simply deserve prison).  But wouldn’t it be worth it?    

I don’t think treatment is going to fix everything, but it could be a start in the right direction.  I also don’t think looking into someone’s past is taking the blame away from them; it’s trying to prevent more bad from happening in the future.

 What are your opinions on treatment in place of/along with prison? 

What can be done?

A few weeks ago Virginia Senator Creigh Deeds’ son Austin was allegedly not admitted to a psychiatric facility because of lack of beds.  The next day he stabbed his father and committed suicide.  Senator Deeds is now blaming the Community Services Board and basically the lack of help available to those in need. 

When I first heard this story, I was not exactly shocked.  I don’t know if it is the desensitization from constantly hearing incidents like this on every type of media, but I just wasn't shocked.  What I was shocked about, however, is the fact that someone who I would think of as pretty well off, could not get the help his son needed.  Granted, his son was over 18 and the emergency custody order expired from what I understand, but it just seems that it should have been easier for him to get help.  And if it is difficult for him to get help, what about all of the people who do not have the financial means to try to get help?  Don’t get me wrong, I am not in any way saying that he should have been able to get help simply because of who his father is.  But if that doesn't even help then it seems completely unfair to those who do not have parents who can help them.

Something is seriously lacking in our mental health system.  I read another story about a lady in Virginia whose daughter has bipolar disorder.  She is worried about when the time comes and her daughter is 14, and they will then need an emergency order to have her daughter hospitalized if needed.  I can’t imagine the difficult times and decisions these families must face on a daily basis.

I’m not sure what the answers to these problems are, but something is seriously lacking in our mental health system.  Perhaps there is way more behind the Senator Deeds story, but either way, his son needed help and did not receive it in time.  So many people are in that same position.  According to the NAMI website, about 90% of those who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental health disorder. 

Stigma and all other barriers aside, what do you think could be changed to help make services more available?  

Are Juvenile Offenders Just Slipping Through the Cracks?

In my first post I talked about adolescents and mental health.  In my papers this semester I also researched the presence of mental health disorders and substance use disorders in juvenile offenders.  I think this is an important topic to understand, as there are a large proportion of juvenile offenders who have a disorder, or even co-occurring disorders, and many do not receive the appropriate (or any) treatment for these disorders.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a fact sheet about juvenile offenders, which to me, is eye-opening when 70% of juvenile offenders have a mental health disorder.  Another very interesting article that I found was actually on another blog that summarizes a study done.  This study researched the risk of offending and rearrests with mental disorders, and also with substance use disorders.  I found it fascinating that the study found there is no a direct causation between mental health disorder such as anxiety or ADHD and the risk of offending.  

The study was done more recently than many of the other research available, and to me it leaves even more questions than before.  If mental health disorders are not necessarily related to juveniles becoming involved in the justice system, then why do so many meet the requirements for a diagnosable illness? 

I think availability of treatment is a factor; not only can it be expensive (especially if a prescription is needed), but some community centers are not equipped for serving everybody in a timely manner, or the locations aren't convenient, or it simply takes a very long time to even get an initial appointment. Lack of family support could also be a factor.

I also believe that somewhere along the way, these adolescents are slipping through the cracks.  Someone somewhere should notice something and offer up solutions, but I suppose if they are not even treated for their disorders when they enter the juvenile justice system, it is not surprising that something was not done before.

What are your opinions on the high rate of juveniles in the justice system with mental health and substance use disorders?  Any ideas as to what could be done to improve the numbers?  Tell me what you think!! 

Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, or Both?

It seems like I have been writing about substance abuse and mental health all semester, not only in this class but it has been a focus on major assignments in a policy class as well.  I have found so much research regarding substance abuse…the rates of substance abuse within prisons, within the juvenile justice system, and co-morbidity of substance abuse and mental health disorders.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, has a ton of information regarding adolescents with substance abuse disorders and mental health disorders, even stating that more than half of adolescents with a substance abuse diagnoses also have a mental health disorder.  This particular website has some great pointers for parents about talking and dealing with teens who abuse substances.

I think that the prevalence of mental health within substance abuse is important to study.  Many times people self-medicate with drugs, and teenagers are no exception.  It is quite possible that it is even more prevalent because teens may have even less access to treatment, or they may not want to talk about it with their parents.  While it may not always be the case, I think it is important to sometimes look past the drug use to see if there is more to it than what appears on the surface.

I have had many friends who have slipped into drug abuse, some fatally.  Each of them had a wealth of other issues; depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder.  Yet many times the first and only issue looked at while attempting to receive (sometimes forced) treatment was the substance abuse.  Granted, substance abuse is obviously an important aspect in someone’s life once it takes hold, but many times it is not the main issue, and this needs to be examined. 

Years and years ago, I used to say that I did not know anyone who abused drugs who did not have past problems they were trying to ineffectively cope with, or who did not have an ignored mental health issue they were equally (and ineffectively) trying to cope with.  While that may have held true with the people that I knew, I now know that is not true for everyone.  Still, in order to effectively treat substance abuse, one must get to the root of the problem, or the cycle will continue on.

What are your opinions on mental health and substance abuse?  Do you believe treatment can be effective if the main issue is not addressed?  Have you had or heard of any experiences where substance abuse was the sole reason for treatment, regardless of treatment truly needed?  Let me know what you think!

Mental Health and Adolescents...Why is it Important?

Adolescence is a time of significant changes, from searching for identities to major biophysical changes; cognitive development to peer pressure.  These changes can be confusing to some adolescents, especially when their mental health is not, well, healthy. 

Not only do many mental health disorders first present themselves during adolescence, but about 20% of adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder.  The NCCP (National Center for Children in Poverty) has found that existing disorders may even worsen as a child transitions into adolescence. 

There are many disadvantages to anyone not seeking appropriate mental health.  A few of these disadvantages amongst adolescents include poor school performance or even dropping out, substance use, risky sexual behavior, and involvement with the law, just to name a few.

So if the risks and outcomes of mental health disorders in adolescents are known, why is there not more prevention?  Clearly nobody can make someone go to treatment and really get something out of it, but what about those who want treatment and cannot receive it?  Adolescent suicide seems to be a growing problem, especially with the increased bullying (which is like throwing gasoline into a fire of someone who is already depressed to begin with) that we constantly hear about in the news. 

Wouldn’t it make more sense, as a society, to be more proactive with mental health?  The first speculation about school shooters or shooters in general, is always what was their mental health like?  More often than not, their mental health was not, well, healthy.  Which leads to mental health disorders getting a bad rap, which possibly leads to more people who need mental health services to not seek them, which could in turn lead to more suicides and violence…phew…

So, what could be done in order to lessen the stigma for mental health disorders?  Why is it so bad to talk about these disorders in our society?  Would required mental health screenings in schools be helpful?  Ethical?  Tell me what you think!