Identifying and Accommodating the Needs of Mentally Ill People in Gaols and Prisons

Women Inmates' Mental Health Needs: Evidence of the Validity of the Jail Screening Assessment Tool (JSAT)

“…The potential for deterioration as a result of incarceration highlights the importance of conducting mental health screening at the time of admission and the need to provide for continued monitoring over the course of the individual's time in custody (Felthous, 1994;Ogloff, 2002). It is also widely recognized MDI are at greater risk than non-MDI to be physically and sexually victimized during custody (Cooley, 1992).…”

“…The program has been described extensively in previous publications (see Ogloff, 2002;Ogloff, Roesch, & Hart, 1994;Ogloff, Tien, Roesch, & Eaves, 1991;Roesch, 1995;Welsh & Ogloff, 2003). Briefly, the BC model comprises six key components: (1) intake screening; (2) ongoing monitoring/ screening of inmates; (3) comprehensive psychodiagnostic assessment of MDI; (4) mental health treatment; (5) gradual/post release monitoring/ supervision and continuity of services; and (6) research/program evaluation (Ogloff, 2002). The program has been demonstrated through rigorous empirical testing to be an effective means of identifying mental illness in male inmates (Ogloff, 2002;Roesch, 1995;Tien et al, 1993).…”

The Development of a Canadian Prison Based Program for Offenders with Mental Illnesses

“…With a relatively large number of Canadians entering the correctional system-the Canadian incarceration rate in 1998 was 123 per 100,000 general population-mentally ill individuals would be expected to constitute a percentage of the inmate population corresponding to their proportionate place in society. Although the true prevalence of mental illness among inmates is unknown, a large body of research suggests that the rates may vary between 5% and 40% (Gingell, 1990;Hart & Hemphill, 1989;Hodgins, 1995;Ogloff, 2002;Ogloff, Roesch, & Hart, 1994;Teplin, 1990), depending upon the diagnostic criteria used. Not surprisingly, higher prevalence rates have been obtained when broader diagnostic criteria have been employed (e.g., Ogloff et al, 1994).…”

“…In addition to visiting the correctional centres, the review involved discussions with correctional administrators as well as senior personnel from ministries and agencies with responsibility for forensic and mental health services. Based on this review, and related work performed earlier, Ogloff (1998) and his colleagues (Ogloff & Nicholls, 1997;Ogloff et al, 1991Ogloff et al, , 1994) developed a comprehensive model for the provision of mental health services in jails and prisons, which included an emphasis on providing a comprehensive mental health program (see Ogloff, 2002). 1 Given limited fiscal resources, however, it is important NOT to expect every sentenced facility to provide comprehensive mental health treatment to MDOs.…”

“…Within this correctional population, there are relatively large numbers of mentally ill inmates, with between 6.5% and 10% of inmates estimated to suffer from a "serious" mental illness (Hodgins, 1995;Ogloff, 2002). These relatively high rates pose difficulties for the inmates themselves as well as the correctional facilities in which they are incarcerated.…”