Persuasive

2 Pages 431 Words

This study was conducted in order to analyze the correctional facility programs aimed towards offenders with I.Q. levels below 70. One of it’s purposes in this study is to determine whether or not correctional facilities can distinguish between mentally ill and mentally retarded inmates. The study informs the reader that often times prisons confuse mental illness with mental retardation and the differences between the two are very vital in treating the patient correctly. The treatments that control these two very different diseases are often mixed up, and this is detrimental to the physical and mental health of these inmates. According to the study, patients that are mentally ill may have symptoms such as schizophrenia and depression. While most mentally retarded people cannot be cured by medicine, most illnesses can be treated, and they can be taught different ways to overcome certain traits of their disorder.
The researchers who published this study conducted a survey in order to evaluate the practices of correctional facilities in dealing with these mentally ill and mentally retarded inmates. They organized phone surveys in which facilities in 41 states participated in. The nine states that didn’t participate were California, Indiana, Florida, Illinois, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
The surveyors asked questions regarding the logistics of the programs and the different methods they used to handle mentally ill and retarded cases. Out of the 41 states that participated, 44% reported having programs or special facilities that deal with mentally challenged persons. However this still means that more than half of the states don’t cater well enough to mentally challenged people.
The results from this study indicate that many states are doing their part in properly assisting mentally ill or mentally retarded inmates. Several other states that do not currently have programs assisting mentally il...