ABSTRACT
By the end of 1980s, the United States held nearly 1.2 million men and women in jails or prisons. Ten years later, the number substantially increased to 1.8 million (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p. xix). Studies have consistently demonstrated that about 20% of inmates in jails and prisons have serious mental illnesses and are in need of psychiatric care (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p. xix). Moreover, jail and prison populations include a high percentage of individuals from minority ethnic groups. Our society struggles with the question of how to provide appropriate facilities for the incarcerated, appropriate treatment for the mentally ill in prisons and jails, and culturally appropriate care when possible. The operation of a correctional system involves a broad range of personnel, including administrative, staff, correctional officers, and various professionals involved in mental health work, including general psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and social workers, as well as specialized forensic psychiatrists or forensic psychologists. In this chapter we discuss how to promote culturally suitable care for inmates in jail and prison from the perspective of the various professionals involved, including the administrator and staff working in the institution.
