Prisons represent a microcosm of society, and offenders will display the same types of psychopathology as that of nonincarcerated citizens. However, offenders are more likely to display certain mental disorders at a higher prevalence than the nonincarcerated populations.
Tasks:
Using at least three scholarly resources from the professional literature, research the prevalence of mental disorders among correctional populations. The literature may include the online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov).
In a minimum of 300 words, respond to the following:
- Which mental disorders are found at a higher prevalence among correctional populations? Distinguish and specify for both male and female offenders.
- What are some reasons why these correctional populations might display a higher prevalence of mental disorders?
- Identify and describe 4–6 broad categories of information that you would want to assess with an offender arriving at a correctional institution. For example, one broad category may be medical issues and you would ask specific questions of an offender.
- Identify the additional correctional variables that may need to be assessed with offenders.