A disturbing trend has been observed in and around gaols, prisons, and forensic settings--in Canada, the United States, and now Australia. All too often, it seems, young men--and, increasingly, young women--are admitted to gaols after having been arrested for relatively minor offences, including break and enter, or theft. Upon admission to the goal, we hear their altogether too familiar story. Typically, they became estranged from their families sometime during adolescence--often after having displayed difficulties in school and at home. They may have exhibited odd behaviours and experienced a wide variety of behavioural, emotional, and cognitive problems. Others they know, including their family members, come to see them as "odd" or "difficult" and they are alienated.
Very often, turning to alcohol and drugs, their problems became exacerbated and their downward spiral continues. Only when they enter the gaol--if a psychologist or psychiatrist sees them--does the fact emerge that they have a major mental illness. Due in no small part to the funding inadequacies in mental health that are so common everywhere, these people seem to have "slipped through the cracks." For them, if they are fortunate enough to be in a correctional system with adequate mental health services, they may begin to receive mental health services--for the first time.
While it is not appropriate for policy or research to be based upon anecdote, much can be said for drawing upon personal experiences and observations to reflect upon changes over time. Considerable research now exists to show that the prevalence of mental illness among inmates is significantly greater than is found in the general population. Moreover, inmates with mental illnesses experience many difficulties and they cause considerable concern for those who are responsible for their safety and for those who care for them. Despite the......
