County Jail or Psychiatric Hospital? Ethical Challenges in Correctional Mental Health Care

Dados Bibliográficos

ID4657352
AutoresAndrea G Segal (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, autor correspondente), Rosemary Frasso (0000-0002-5202-3250, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), Dominic A Sisti (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), Dominic Sisti (0000-0002-2282-9253, University of Pennsylvania)
Ano2018
Volume28
Fascículo6
Páginas963-976
Data de publicação2018-05-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1049732318762370
PMID29562833
OpenAlexW2794428876
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas10
Referências citadas18

Approximately 20% of the roughly 2.5 million individuals incarcerated in the United States have a serious mental illness (SMI). As a result of their illnesses, these individuals are often more likely to commit a crime, end up incarcerated, and languish in correctional settings without appropriate treatment. The objective of the present study was to investigate how correctional facility personnel reconcile the ethical challenges that arise when housing and treating individuals with SMI. Four focus groups and one group interview were conducted with employees ( n = 24) including nurses, clinicians, correctional officers, administrators, and sergeants at a county jail in Pennsylvania. Results show that jail employees felt there are too many inmates with SMI in jail who would benefit from more comprehensive treatment elsewhere; however, given limited resources, employees felt they were doing the best they can. These findings can inform mental health management and policy in a correctional setting

Commit · Focus group · Mental health · Mental illness · Psychiatry · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Nursing · Psychology