Daniele Himes
5/6/2012
HUMS 101
Candelario

In today’s society people with mental illnesses are seen as “crazy” or unstable to live a life among “normal” people. There are just as many mentally ill people as there are “sane” people. This seems to be the only way to keep our communities safe from danger in our world today. Between two and four million individuals are severely mentally ill in the United States...(Steinwachs).Instead of trying to lend a helping hand to conduct research and try to get a solution to the problems that the mentally ill face, people rather judge and lock them up in insane asylums and prison bars. This is simply not true, in my eyes this is just quick way to not have to deal with the mentally ill. Even though a person is mentally ill that does not make them any less of a human. They are just people who unfortunately have a problem that not enough people care to fix. In Maryland there are many stories in the news about someone being put in jail or prison. Of course it could be a range of reasons why that person has now become incarcerated. These reasons could include: murder, rape, assault, violating probation, drinking while driving, possession of drugs or even contempt of court. These are only a few out of the many reasons as to why people become incarcerated. Upon the actions just mentioned there seems to be something that causes a person to do these acts which get them in trouble. The big question that is asked after the act of crime has been done is why. Sometimes the actions can be based off of revenge, anger or simply out of desperation. Many different view points of others are given out as to why a person would do such a thing. Some may say the person was evil and has no feeling, or some may say they are a very troubled person who needs guidance. There is an old saying that i grew up hearing a lot when I was younger. if someone did something very bad that got them in a lot of trouble I would hear “Something is not right in his/her head’ or “They got some screws loose”. Unfortunately sometimes those sayings were the truth. When people commit crimes is it not always based on a person being evil but simply having a mental illness. Upon doing research I have found a few resources that I found to be interesting and very insightful as to how Maryland deals with offenders with mental illnesses. In the article “Care of the Mentally Ill in Prisons: Challenges and Solutions by: Anasseril E. Daniel, speaks on how what kind of treatments could help mental ill patients that have become incarcerated. Daniel states that: “Offenders with an established history of drug or alcohol abuse should be treated with anti-craving and relapse-prevention medications two to four weeks before release, and the medication regimen should be continued 30 to 60 days after release” (Daniel). I feel that this is a wonderful start to a smooth recovery. Not only do these medications help to prevent relapse but allows an even greater chance for the patient to recover.
I feel in order for a person to have a "successful" release from prison with a mental illness they should have to complete certain programs while incarcerated. These programs could be very useful and helpful. Even though they do have a mental illness having someone work with them to help them stay positive could work wonders. I do know in some cases this is not possible due to how bad the illness is or the possibilities of relapse. After a person with a mental illness is released from prison, helpful resources should still be available at any time. The reason that Recidivism is at a high with offenders with a mental illness is because with any type of serious "mental" illness whether it be schizophrenia or MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder) in the minds of the person with that disorder they do not see causing an uproar or doing a crime repeatedly as anything wrong but they are simply doing what their mind tells them and they go along with it. If the