The following are problems affecting the mentally ill in the Los Angeles Twin Towers. There are inadequate mental health services/poor treatments of this population of male inmates which lead to increase in suicide rates. Please read the red marks and provide research on the comments. Please read it through first to understand this project and focus on the ADVOCATES/SUPPORTERS/LOBBYIST/ORGANIZATIONS part first. Then the specific interventions and elaborations.
Problem #1: ATMOSPHERE AND ENVIRONMENT
-Overcrowded
-Vermin-Infested
-Dimly-Lit, Noisy
-Unsanitary
-Depressive
-Physical Safety hazards
Briefly say a little bit more about each and indicate how each of these can impact suicidal tendencies
Problem #2: SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND ISOLATION
-Solitary confinement is the practice of isolating a prisoner in a cell for 22-24 hours per day, with extremely limited human contact; reduced (sometimes nonexistent) natural lighting; severe restrictions on reading material, televisions, radios, or other physical property that approximates contact with the outside world; restrictions or prohibitions on visitation; and denial of access to group activities, including group meals, religious
- Mentally ill prisoners are sent to their isolated units that is specifically designed to keep dangerous and difficult inmates
- Inmates diagnosed with mental illness are disproportionately represented in the isolation units to which prison officials send their more difficult inmates
-The harsh conditions of being held alone in a cell 23 hours or more a day with little or nothing to do, coupled with the paucity of mental health treatment characteristic of such units, can lead to an increase in symptoms, more episodes of psychosis, and further misconduct.
- Self-harm is, in some ways, the clearest illustration of the break from normal mental health that accompanies isolation
- the vast majority of prisoners subjected to solitary confinement are neither violent nor incorrigible
-Prisoners in solitary confinement hallucinate, they deliberately injure themselves, and they lose the ability to relate to other human beings. When these prisoners are eventually released from solitary confinement, they have difficulties integrating into the general prison population or (especially when they are released directly onto the streets) into life on the outside.
- Solitary confinement accomplishes one thing: it allows corrections officials and politicians to appear tough on crime.10 But, this appearance is purchased in lost safety (for the public and for those who live and work in prisons), lost funds (to pay for the operation costs that are twice as high as general population facilities), and the lost lives of prisoners who are driven to psychosis and suicide.
Problem #3: SAFETY CHECKS AND MONITORING OF INMATES
-The staff is under trained for psycho education and are limited in their ability to identify suicidal behavior/tendencies of inmates.
-The guards do not ensure appropriate safety conditions of the prison cells and does not carry out frequent safety checks because inmates outmatch the number of guards
-Please add more bullets regarding the inadequate safety checks of guards and how overlooking suicide ideation or behavior has increased suicide
Problem #4: OVER-MEDICATION
-The Los Angeles County Jail spends $10 million per year on psychiatric medications.
-Treatment is often limited to medication and typically does not include other effective therapeutic mental health interventions and psychiatric rehabilitation programs
-Inmate patients are given medications instead of counseling
-Provide more research on the over-medication of inmates. How is this a problem? Provide statistics on the disproportional number of prisoners who are medicated
Problem #5: QUALITY OF THERAPY/CASE MANAGERS/ASSESSMENTS
-General statistics of inmates in need of mental health services
o about 20% of county jail inmates are classified as mentally ill
o lack of space - mentally ill inmates are being placed with general population
o justify: suicide watch (what are the signs inmates are showing that they are suicide?), safety of law enforcement from violent bipolar inmates
-Quality health care is not provided to all of them since, the figure is rising since the rate of mentally ill prisoners is increasing
-Group Counseling Topics need to be EBP; ensure that they are not outdated and that they are culturally sensitive
FINALLY,
ADVOCATES/SUPPORTERS/LOBBYIST/ORGANIZATIONS
Who are the advocates, supporters, lobbyist and organizations in charged with this promoting and spreading awareness about the inadequate mental health services and resources in the LA Twin Towers? who will help find resources and help implement/advocate this injustice in the prison system?