Audit Finds That Some Mentally Ill Detainees Receive No Treatment

A new report from the U.S. Department of Justice shows that the Federal Bureau of Prisons is not providing adequate treatment for mentally ill inmates, or in some cases, providing any treatment at all. This includes all federal correctional institutions and federal immigration detention facilities. According to the report, staff members at federal correctional institutions do not consistently document the fact that an inmate has a mental disorder. As a result, inmates with mental illness may go untreated altogether. Although about three percent of inmates housed in federal correctional receive mental health treatment, data indicates that the actual percentage of inmates who suffer from mental illness to be as much as 12% to 19% of the federal inmate population. An earlier study states that as much as half of the federal inmate population has a current mental disorder or has a recent history of such a disorder. Aside from a lack of treatment for mental illness, detainees at federal institutions who are mentally ill tend to be placed in solitary confinement or another form of restricted housing for a longer period of time than the average inmate. Despite these findings by the Inspector General, administrators at the Bureau of Prisons deny that they use solitary confinement at all. A staff psychologist, however, described the restricted housing as essentially being solitary confinement, since the inmates have little or no contact with anyone. There also are no limits on how long an inmate can remain in a restricted housing setting. In fact, some inmates remained in restrictive settings for as long as 19 years. Placing inmates in these restricted environments is particular bad for those inmates with mental illness, even if it is only for a short period of time. When you or a loved one are detained and face deportation for any reason, Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C. is here to help. We care about you, your family, and your ability to remain in the U.S. As a result, our California deportation defense lawyers stand ready to build the strongest possible deportation defense case on your behalf. Contact your Oakland immigration lawyer today and learn how we can advocate for you and your family in your deportation proceedings.