Ill-equipped: U.S. Prisons and Offenders with Mental Illness

Woefully deficient mental health services in many prisons leave prisoners undertreated - or not treated at all. Based on more than two years of research and hundreds of interviews with prisoners, corrections officials, mental health experts and attorneys, this report provides a detailed examination of the state of mental health services available to prisoners, concluding that they cannot get appropriate care because of a shortage of qualified staff, lack of facilities, and prison rules that interfere with treatment. The report makes recommendations on services and regulations that would assist and protect mentally ill prisoners.