Mental Health Crisis

Inadequate mental health resources are an often-cited factor for the mental health crisis, especially for the incarceration of juveniles with mental illness. There have been a number of these approaches offered over the years to help youthful offenders overcome the challenges and obstacles they face as part of becoming involved in the criminal justice system, with varying degrees of success. This study examines the impact of inadequate mental health resources and the subsequent mental health crises that have been created. Costs are rising at an alarming rate and there are more illnesses than resources available to meet the needs of the mentally ill juvenile in the criminal justice system. Lacking in resources, the mental health system has not kept pace with the diverse needs of the community or the prison system. Consequently, the justice system inappropriately places juveniles in the criminal justice system, instead of the mental health system. The systems for allocating resources have also been inadequate, leaving the need to redesign clinical care and clinical services, in hopes of balancing what resources are available.