Fact Sheet #3
Individuals with Mental Illnesses in Jail and Prison
Data
- Nearly two million new jail admissions are of people with mental illnesses—35,000
individuals a week.1
- At the end of 2000, nearly one million individuals with mental illnesses
were in the criminal justice system.2
- More than 16% of jail inmates have a mental illness, according to the United
States Department of Justice.3
- Seventy percent of jail inmates with mental illnesses are there for nonviolent
offenses.4
 Offenders
with Mental Illness
- In Jails: 101,000 individuals with mental illnesses were inmates
in local jails at year-end 2000. Of these, 63,000 had a severe mental illness.5
Jails are locally operated facilities that hold people pending arraignment
or awaiting trial, conviction or sentencing. Sentencing is either to probation
or incarceration in jail (generally under a year) or prison. There are 3,365
local jails.6
- In Prisons: 201,000 individuals with mental illnesses were inmates
in state (191,000 or 16.2%) and federal (10,000 or 7.9%) prisons at year-end
2000. Of these, 132,000 had a severe mental illness.7
There are 1,558 adult correctional facilities housing state prisoners and
110 facilities housing federal prisoners.
- On Probation: 614,000 individuals (16%) with mental illnesses were
on probation at year-end 2000. Of these, 315,000 had a severe mental illness.8
Probation represents a more moderate sanction than incarceration. It is generally
given to offenders with few or no prior convictions or to those guilty of
less serious offenses.
Description of the Population
New Department of Justice data confirm previous research findings that most
individuals with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system have had extensive
experience with both the criminal justice and mental health systems and have
a severe mental disorder and poor functioning.
As seen in this table
on offenders with mental illness, on every item, in all settings—jails,
state prisons, federal prisons and probation—offenders with mental illnesses
are more likely than other offenders to have the reported problem.
1. Based on admission rates reported in Bureau
of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Census of Jails, 1999 (August 2001, NCJ 186633,
p. 5) multiplied by the percentage of jail inmates with a mental illness (16.3%)
reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health Treatment
of Inmates and Probationers (July 1999, NCJ 174463).
2. Calculated using the respective rates of mental illness reported
in Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health Treatment of Inmates
and Probationers (NCJ 174463) and year-end jail and prison population numbers
reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Prisoners in 2000 (August
2001, NCJ 188207) and probationers reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics
press release of August 26, 20001.
3. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health
Treatment of Inmates and Probationers (NCJ 174463).
4. Id.
5. Based on self reports by inmates and probationers and, for
severity, on overnight admissions to a mental hospital or treatment program.
6. Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Census of Jails, 1999
(August 2001, NCJ 186633).
7. Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Prisoners in 2000
(August 2001, NCJ 188207).
8. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Substance Abuse
and Treatment of Adults on Probation, 1995 (March 1998, NCJ 166611).
9. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health
Treatment of Inmates and Probationers (July 1999, NCJ 174463).
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