OPINION
Opinion: Unlock the mental prison
T
Gabrielle Shore
he first steps of a released care. The U.S. Department of Justice needs to ensure that all released inmates inmate away from prison have access to mental health services premises should incite a feeling of utter liberation, to promote successful reintegration – a course of action supported by countless but for the 600,000 individuals released from prisons across studies. the United States every year, removing the One study published in 2022 in the metal bars does not relieve the mental toll Journal of Community Psychology found that released inmates who received of being detained. mental health services were 26% to 38% Far too often, the U.S. Department less likely to recidivate. of Justice overlooks the importance of Much of the hesitation to take this mental health services for the formerly step is attributed to insufficient funding, incarcerated. The lack of post-release mental health but according to the U.S. Prison Policy care has detrimental effects. According Initiative, the Justice Department has the to the Bureau of Justice, released inmates funds to detain over two million people at who struggle with mental health are more any given moment. Somehow, the same department likely to re-offend than those who do not. This relapse in criminal behavior is called cannot seem to provide the necessary mental health supports to ensure that the recidivism. formerly incarcerated can successfully Whenever someone repeats a crime after being released from prison, there is a reintegrate into society without a high risk of recidivism. cost to both the individual and society. It is important to note that some Denying someone the means to effort has been made to provide mental successfully reintegrate into society after they have served their time is unjust, and health services to released inmates. Some the current lack of mental health services states, like California, have coordinated services to prioritize mental health for perpetuates this injustice. It is simply immoral to deny someone the formerly incarcerated, according the possibility of successful reintegration to the Department of Corrections and into society when they have already done Rehabilitation. This type of effort gives their time, but the current lack of mental released inmates a real second chance. We can all identify an instance when health services does just that, but the we were given a second chance. A current lack of mental health services common misconception is that release does just that. from prison is, in itself, a second chance, Furthermore, recidivating offenders but the reality is more complicated. account for a large portion of the A real second chance is one that country’s increasing expenditures on law enforcement, which perpetuates a cycle of equips the formerly incarcerated with the necessary resources to successfully imprisonment and spending. reintegrate, and it starts with a raised The first step to reducing recidivism standard of mental health care. is a raised standard of mental health
24 HIGHLANDER ISSUE III