Prisons hold three times more people with mental illness than do psychiatric hospitals, and U.S. prisoners have rates of mental illness that are up to four times greater than rates for the general population. Guest DeWitt Buckingham is someone who had a mental illness and was in prison, and has turned his life around since being released. And, guest Rev. Nick Ristad is the Protestant chaplain at Napa State Hospital which is largely a facility for mentally ill prisoners.

Discussion Questions for Mental Health in Prison

Resources for Mental Health in Prison

Music:Promenade from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky who suffered from “fits of madness.”

Note: The views expressed in this program are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of Alameda County Behavioral Healthcare.