Every so often, I think it's good to bring up this topic. Though many of us have never spent time in jail or prison, an abnormally high percentage of prisoners are seriously mentally ill, and they often stay there longer than other prisoners. Many also find themselves in jail again and again, often for actions related to mentally ill behavior. Here are some statistics to note:

How Many Individuals with Serious Mental Illness are in Jails and Prisons?
(updated November 2014)

SUMMARY: Approximately 20 percent of inmates in jails and 15 percent of inmates in state prisons have a serious mental illness. Based on the total number of inmates, this means that there are approximately 356,000 inmates with serious mental illness in jails and state prisons. This is 10 times more than the approximately 35,000 individuals with serious mental illness remaining in state hospitals.

Torrey EF, Zdanowicz MT, Kennard AD et al. The treatment of persons with mental illness in prisons and jails: A state survey. Arlington, VA, Treatment Advocacy Center, April 8, 2014.

The nation’s jails and prisons have replaced hospitals as the primary facility for mentally ill individuals.

There are more seriously mentally ill individuals in the Los Angeles County Jail, Chicago’s Cook County Jail, or New York’s Riker’s Island Jail than in any psychiatric hospital in the United States. In fact, in every county in the US that has both a county jail and a county psychiatric facility, the jail has more seriously mentally ill individuals. A 2004–2005 survey reported that there were “more than three times more seriously mentally ill persons in jails and prisons than in hospitals.”

Torrey EF, Kennard AD, Eslinger D et al. More Mentally Ill Persons Are in Jails and Prisons than Hospitals: A Survey of the States (Arlington, Va.: Treatment Advocacy Center, 2010).

Mentally ill often stay longer than non mentally ill in prisons and jails

In Florida’s Orange County Jail, the average stay for all inmates is 26 days; for mentally ill inmates, it is 51 days. In New York’s Riker’s Island Jail, the average stay for all inmates is 42 days; for mentally ill inmates, it is 215 days. The main reason mentally ill inmates stay longer is that many find it difficult to understand and follow jail and prison rules. In one study, jail inmates were twice as likely (19 percent versus 9 percent) to be charged with facility rule violations. In another study in the Washington State prisons, mentally ill inmates accounted for 41 percent of infractions even though they constituted only 19 percent of the prison population. Another reason mentally ill inmates stay longer is that they are often held for months awaiting the availability of a bed in a psychiatric hospital.

Jails and mental illness, Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project,
Nothing found for Infocenter Factsheets Fafct_Jails, last accessed April 3, 2006.

Turner C, Ethical issues in criminal justice administration, American Jails, January/February
2007.

Butterfield F. Study finds hundreds of thousands of inmates mentally ill, New York Times,
October 22, 2003.

Miller CM, Fantz A. Special “psych” jails planned, Miami Herald, November 15, 2007.

Bender E. Community treatment more humane, reduces criminal-justice costs, Psychiatric
News 2003;38:28.

Gottschlich AJ, Cetnar G. Drug bills at jail top food costs, Springfield [OH] News Sun, August
20, 2002.

Guenther A. Family sues Camco over prisoner’s death, [NJ] Courier Post, June 14, 2006.

Mentally ill inmates are more likely to commit suicide.

Multiple studies have shown that approximately half of all inmate suicides are committed by inmates who are seriously mentally ill. A 2002 study in Washington State reported that “the prevalence of mental illness among inmates who attempted suicide was 77 percent, compared with 15 percent [among inmates] in the general jail population.”

In California in 2002, the Los Angeles Times headlined: “Jail Suicides Reach Record Pace in State,” and added: “Some experts blame the recent surge on forcing more of the mentally ill behind bars.” Goss JR, Peterson K, Smith LW et al.

Characteristics of suicide attempts in a large urban jail system with an established suicide prevention program, Psychiatric Services 2002;53:574–
579.

Johnson J. Jail suicides reach record pace in state, Los Angeles Times, June 16, 2002.

Issues relating to less frequent mental healthcare for many African Americans with mental health concerns

See Black & African American Communities and Mental Health | Mental Health America