Soc 360: The New Asylums (full documentary) | Are Prisons the New Mental Hospitals? | FRONTLINE

Introduction

• An exploration of the intersection between mental health and the prison system in the U.S.

• Prisons are increasingly taking on the role of mental health facilities as psychiatric hospitals close down.

The State of Incarceration and Mental Illness

• Prisons as Asylums: Many mentally ill individuals are incarcerated due to a lack of mental health care services.

• Statistics: Nearly 500,000 mentally ill individuals are incarcerated; this number is significantly higher than the 50,000 who remain in psychiatric hospitals.

• Underlying Issues: The prevailing attitude has been to lock people away rather than address their mental health needs.

The Nature of Mental Illness in Prisons

• Prisons are not equipped to handle mental health care adequately. Instead of treatment, individuals are often subjected to punitive measures.

• Common scenarios include homeless individuals with mental health issues being arrested for minor infractions.

• Incidence of Self-harm: Increased rates of self-harm and suicide attempts among the incarcerated mentally ill population.

Challenges Faced by Corrections Officials

• Corrections officials often end up acting as de facto providers of mental health care due to a lack of available resources in the community.

• Inmates with mental illnesses often require extensive psychiatric attention, which is difficult to provide within prison settings.

Case Studies in Ohio Prisons

1. Access and Treatment

   • Ohio's Department of Corrections gives unprecedented access to observe the treatment of mentally ill inmates.

   • Separate housing units with mental health support have been established within Ohio prisons to accommodate this population.

2. Patient Experiences

   • Inmate Accounts: Many inmates describe their experiences of suffering while incarcerated and the inability to receive timely medical care.

   • Some inmates acknowledge the role of medication in stabilizing their symptoms.

   • On their release, many inmates experience difficulties accessing follow-up mental health care, leading to recidivism.

The Establishment of Treatment Programs

• Ohio has reformed its prison system to include comprehensive mental health care—setting a model for other states.

• Inmates receive specialized care and treatment separated from the general prison population, addressing both safety and mental health needs.

Success Stories and Challenges of Treatment

• Positive Outcomes: Some inmates report significant improvement and stability due to the treatment received while incarcerated.

• Reluctance for Community Reintegration: Many inmates express a fear of returning to the outside world due to its complexities compared to the structured environment of prison life.

The Ongoing Cycle of Recidivism

• Inmates often cycle back into the prison system after release due to inadequate support and resources in the community.

• Lack of Safe Options: Without sufficient outpatient mental health services, many mentally ill individuals reoffend simply to regain access to the support they received while incarcerated.

The Broader Implications

• The gap in community mental health services results in prisons becoming default care facilities for mentally ill individuals, despite the fact that they are not designed or trained for such roles.

• Call for Reform: Advocates urge the development of alternative systems that prioritize mental health care outside of incarceration, emphasizing that proper support can help prevent criminal behavior.

Conclusion

• The documentary highlights the urgent need for mental health services and systemic reform in the U.S. justice system, showcasing that merely incarcerating individuals does not solve the complexities of mental health issues.