The Released

The Theme of “The Released” is that prisons have become the new asylums.
This is largely because, as one social worker stated, the whole mental health social system has failed.
Question: RE-ENTERING SOCIETY: CAN COMMUNITIES MEET NEEDS AFTER PRISON?”
Step I:
Watch Frontline: the Released https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/released/
STEP 2 What kind of challenges and hardships for society do the mentally ill pose when they leave prison?
Illustrate using cases from the video Frontline
What happens when mentally ill offenders are released from prison into their communities. What are their
needs? Illustrate using cases from the video Frontline
Is it appropriate for states to take mental illness into consideration when offenders are sentenced and
incarcerated?
STEP 3 – MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN THE PRISON SYSTEM & CHALLENGES OF RE-ENTRY
This year, more than 700,000 people will leave prison. More than half of them are mentally ill, and one in five
people who leaves prison will become homeless
Access FRONTLINE’s The New Asylums: “The Situation State-by-State” or Internet access to
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/asylums/etc/map.html
Click on New York state. What percentage of inmates have been diagnosed with mental illnesses?
Is there an adequate number of officers designated to mental health care?
What kind of mental health training do correction officers receive? Do you think prison staff should receive
additional training, if so, what kind of service?
STEP 4: Read the first four paragraphs of FRONTLINE’s “Breaking the Tragic Cycle,”, first four paragraphs.
What is “the tragic cycle” presented in the article.
STEP 5: Read Working Toward a Solution
Watch the video on Mental Health Court in Allegheny County, PA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQMo3k52kBQ
How cost-effective is this court?
What is the recidivism rate?
How does a problem-solving court differ from a traditional court?
How effective has the court been in diverting offenders from the criminal justice system.
Your thoughts?