U.S. Imprisons One in 100 Adults, Report Finds

For the first time in the nation’s history, more than one in 100 American adults are behind bars, according to a new report. Nationwide, the prison population grew by 25,000 last year, bringing it to almost 1.6 million, after three decades of growth that has seen the prison population nearly triple. Another 723,000 people are in local jails. The number of American adults is about 230 million, meaning that one in every 99.1 adults is behind bars. Incarceration rates are even higher for some groups. One in 36 adult Hispanic men is behind bars, based on Justice Department figures for 2006. One in 15 adult black men is, too, as is one in nine black men ages 20 to 34.

Fifth Of State Prison Inmates Mentally Ill

A legislative report shows more than 20 percent of Connecticut's approximately 19,000 prison inmates have moderate to severe mental illness.That fact is prompting some state lawmakers to point out an apparent shortage of trained psychiatric nurses and a need for more training for correction officers. Also, there's talk of creating a separate facility for inmates with mental illness to ease the space crunch" . . . . "If you want to free up prison beds [to keep violent offenders behind bars longer], then get these mentally ill people out of there," Lawlor said.

Providing Mental Health Services for Prisoners in New York

Spitzer plan aids mentally ill inmates: Governor proposes adding $60 million for improved, more humane services

ALBANY -- In response to long-standing calls for better treatment for the most vulnerable segment of the prison population, Gov. Eliot Spitzer proposes to increase state spending by $60 million over three years on services for mentally ill inmates. The proposal was praised by advocacy groups that say it signals a heightened commitment toward humane care of prisoners with severe psychiatric needs.