Download NIJ Study of Prisoner Mental Health Problems

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Nationally representative samples of prison inmates (2004, N = 18,200) and jail
inmates (2002, N = 7,000)
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Interviewers asked each inmate about symptoms of mental disorders they
experienced within the last year
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Self-reported mental disorders
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State prisons: 73 percent of females and 55 percent of males
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Federal prisons: 61 percent of females and 44 percent of males
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Jails: 75 percent of females and 63 percent of males.
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State prisoners: 43 percent had symptoms of mania, 23 percent major depression
and 15 percent psychotic disorder.
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Federal prisoners: 35 percent had symptoms of mania, 16 percent major depression
and 10 percent psychotic disorder.

Jail inmates: 54 percent had symptoms of mania, 30 percent major depression and
24 percent psychotic disorder, such as delusions or hallucinations
Self-reported mental health problems:
violence, recidivism, drug and alcohol abuse
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Violence
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Recidivism

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61 percent of state prisoners and 44 percent of jail inmates had a current or
past violent offense.
25 percent of state prisoners and 26 percent of jail inmates had served three
or more prior sentences.
Drug and alcohol abuse

Inmates with self-reported mental health problems had high rates of drug
and alcohol dependency and abuse in the year before they were confined
▪ 74 percent of state prisoners and 76 percent of jail inmates

37 percent of state prisoners and 34 percent of jail inmates said they used
drugs at the time of their offense.

13 percent of state prisoners and 12 percent of jail inmates said they used
methamphetamines in the month before their offense.