Women In Prison Are Ill. Can Correctional Institutions “Correct” Health Disparities?

A recent report showed that there has been a nearly 60% rise in the number of incarcerated women around the world since 2000. While the number of women prisoners is increasing, the services available to them are not — especially regarding mental health. And yet poor mental health is a significant factor as to why many women are incarcerated in the first place.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the percentage of female inmates with a history of mental health problems (in state: 69%, federal: 52%) was shown to be almost up to twice as high as that of male inmates (in state: 41%, federal: 21%). Before incarceration, many female prisoners have experienced domestic and sexual abuse and/or turned to drug abuse and excessive alcohol consumption, both factors that can exacerbate mental health issues.

Incarceration itself has also been shown to detrimentally affect inmates’ mental well-being. Women tend to be incarcerated for committing nonviolent, minor crimes such as property or drug-related offenses, yet are placed in prisons with high security levels. High-security prisons often produce inmates with disproportionately high rates of mental disorders, and people released from high-security prisons show elevated mortality rates.

In the United States, there are 29 federal prisons that house female offenders. A small number of facilities means most inmates are far from their original residence, which removes these women from their families and friends. This, in turn, can loosen inmates’ social bonds and connections with society.

After incarceration, former inmates face the burden of immediate financial and survival problems, finding jobs and a place to sleep. Health no longer becomes a priority in this situation. It makes sense, then, that a study showed that women with severe mental disorders (SMD) had a higher probability of reoffending eight years after release than those without SMD.

Incarceration is the eleventh hour to discover and care for these women’s health. Since prior studies and reports have pointed out that female mental health requires attention, women’s prisons are recently offering more mental health programs. However, given that the extent and depth of the programs are unknown, it is crucial to further assess the provided programs. Trauma-focused programs should include gender-sensitive approaches that incorporate the unique experiences women have undergone before incarceration.

Government agencies and organizations are crucial in mitigating existing disparities and reforming systems that harm female inmates’ mental health. However, it is our role as members of society to ensure and monitor prisons, which serve as the last bastion to save the people who have fallen out from the safety nets of our community. Can correctional institutions serve to correct health disparities? Yes, if we bring attention and drive change until real progress is made.