Two Systems, One Population

The mental health system is often not readily accessible, culturally responsive, or a reliable source of effective interventions for society’s most vulnerable populations. Modern-era studies estimate the number of persons diagnosed with serious mental illness in correctional facilities is more than 3 times the amount in hospitals. Understanding mass incarceration and the criminalization of mental illness is imperative to address mental health inequities. This article examines the interplay of mental health and criminal justice inequities, the historical context for the prevailing extant approaches to correctional mental health treatment, and programmatic approaches to addressing these inequities.