The mentally ill in prisons: a review

Mentally ill persons who have been charged with crimes present difficult dilemmas for correctional authorities and mental health system administrators. The authors examine the scope of the problem, the legal issues and treatment needs of this population during incarceration, and the obstacles in caring for them after their eventual release from prison. They recommend that mentally ill offenders be afforded the same level of mental health care available to mentally ill residents in other institutions and in the community. The need for postrelease supervision and coordination between mental health and correctional authorities are central issues in reintegrating mentally ill offenders into the community.