Nursing in the American Justice System

Efforts to provide humane care for the mentally ill has led to growth of more suitable services in community-based settings, yet resources are insufficient to meet the needs of mentally ill who interface with the criminal justice system. The resulting collateral damage has created a pathway to prison for massive numbers of impaired individuals, and the inhumane warehousing of thousands of mentally ill people is reminiscent of a century ago. The criminal justice system was never intended to be a safety net for the public mental health system.

Source: Archives of Psychiatric Nursing - July 16, 2020 Category: Nursing Authors: Deborah Shelton, Annette T. Maruca, Rane é Wright Source Type: research