As a family member of someone who has been caught in the revolving door structure of our current criminal legal system, I have personally witnessed the devastating impact of inadequate mental health care on recidivism rates. My loved one, like many others, was released without any mental health support, leading to their re-incarceration. This is not an isolated incident but a systemic issue that needs immediate attention.

The criminal legal system is highly populated. State prison populations have had a 700% increase since the 1970s and steadily increase each year (Henrichson & Delaney, 2012). At the end of 2022, The U.S. prison population was just over 1,200,000, with a noticeable increase since the end of 2021 (Carson & Kluckow, 2023).

Roughly two in five people who are currently incarcerated have a history of mental illness; about 63% of individuals with a history of mental illness do not receive mental health care while incarcerated (NAMI, 2024). Additionally, individuals who enter the system without a history of mental illness are at a heightened risk of developing mental disorders due to the conditions of incarcerated life (i.e., social isolation, heightened stress, lack of familial interaction, etc.). Aside from socially acknowledged forms of mental illness (i.e., Depression; Schizophrenia), research shows that roughly 65% of the incarcerated population in the U.S. has an active substance use disorder (NIDA, 2020). From a psychological standpoint, substance use disorder (i.e., addiction) is a mental health concern, in need of proper mental health care. Given the statistics, to better equip individuals for reintegration, mental health status must become the forefront of the conversation. The detrimental impact of poor mental health during incarceration and post-release is expensive and, arguably, aids in the revolving-door structure of our criminal justice system. 

To address this crisis and promote successful reintegration into society, we must mandate the provision and requirement for inmates to receive comprehensive mental health services before their release. By doing so, we can lower recidivism rates and ensure those leaving prison are better equipped to lead productive lives outside bars. Upon release from prison, most individuals have difficulties maintaining good health, including good mental health (Cunha et al., 2023). However, individuals who had maintained better mental health while incarcerated experienced an overall increase in mental health post-release and were additionally found to have a reduced likelihood of reoffending (Cunha et al., 2023). 

Recidivism rates have an astounding impact on society at large. Incarceration, in both public and private sectors, is extremely expensive and a large proportion of funding is received through tax-payers. In 2010, the average per-inmate cost was roughly $32,000 (Henrichson & Delaney, 2012). As individuals re-offend, these costs are reapplied with each span of incarceration. Mandating the practice of providing rehabilitative mental health care therefore benefits the individual, both during incarceration and post-release, but likewise has a positive effect on society and the costs associated with imprisonment.

We urge lawmakers (CO local: Michael Bennet, John Hickenlooper) and prison authorities (Colorado Department of Corrections) alike to consider this urgent need for reform in our criminal justice system. Let's break the cycle by providing necessary support for those who need it most - sign this petition today!

References: 

Carson, E. A., & Kluckow, R. (2023, November). Prisoners in 2022 – statistical tables. Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2022-statistical-tables#:~:text=Findings%20are%20based%20on%20BJS’s,to%20yearend%202022%20(87%2C800) 

Cunha, O., Castro Rodrigues, A. de, Caridade, S., Dias, A. R., Almeida, T. C., Cruz, A. R., & Peixoto, M. M. (2023). The impact of imprisonment on individuals’ mental health and Society Reintegration: Study Protocol. BMC Psychology, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01252-w 

Henrichson, C., & Delaney, R. (2012, February). The price of prisons. Vera Institute of Justice. https://www.vera.org/publications/price-of-prisons-what-incarceration-costs-taxpayers 

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2024). Mental Health Treatment While Incarcerated. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/Advocacy/Policy-Priorities/Improving-Health/Mental-Health-Treatment-While-Incarcerated 

NIDA. 2020, June 1. Criminal Justice DrugFacts. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/criminal-justice on 2024, May 4