The Special Needs of The Criminal Justice on Mental Illness Cases

The special needs population that has been considered in this case include mentally ill within the criminal justices system. Case management focuses on incorporating key elements that focus on improving the wellbeing of individuals that are being assessed. Mental illness within the criminal justice is treated as a sensitive issue that require urgent intervention in order to ensure that an inmate is able to recover. This population require specific consideration under which it can be effectively engaged and improve the health and wellbeing of clients. The key characteristics that have been linked to this population include withdrawal, problems in thinking where they make irrational decisions, changes in mood sleep as well as changes in appetite. Mental cases are realized much earlier with reports indicating that mental illnesses can be detected by the age of 14. An individual with this condition are usually detached from reality and seem to live in an illusion world where they are unable to comprehend the events and activities around them .

Identifying the needs of the special population requires proper screening process where it is possible to have a better understanding under which it is possible to understand the key ways on how they can be effectively engaged. The screening process integrates two critical methodologies that target specific mental health issues. The mental health inventory and the structured clinical interview for DSM – IV are used to determine the needs of the population. The process that is followed in identifying the needs of this population include assessment of the client condition, diagnosis and development of an intervention where an intervention plan is developed targeting specific issues that have been identified .

The common groups of offenders that are highly recommended for case management include juvenile criminals with impulse-controlled disorders, offenders with history of substance abuse, sex offenders, and offenders with personality disorders among other identified critical cases. Case management therefore must be developed effectively targeting specific aspects within these groups since these cases are handled differently. Case management within the criminal justice system is not always a smooth process considering the prison environment under which these services need to be given. Case management is developed based on trust that is developed between a client and case manager (Hunter et.al., 2017).However, within prison environment the information discussed must be shared with the authorities thus creating privacy challenges under HIPAA. Only serious health concerns have permission to be treated outside the prison walls.

The best way the services within correctional facilities involving mentally ill inmates can be handled include improving the communication environment under which it would be possible by quality training of case managers and ensuring that the criminal justice system is diversified where many case managers can handle many mental cases that are identified. These resolutions have been developed based on the underlying focus within the correctional facilities and the successful cases that have been handled.

Proposed Solution

The prison system does not have a specific focus on individual with special needs and in most cases; they tend to consider individuals with adverse cases considering the fact that these cases would have been effectively engaged when they were still in their early stages. Negligence of inmates is a key issue that must be effectively developed to ensure a sound and clear understanding under which mental cases clients can be effectively engaged. a key solution that was identified from the discussion is to ensure that the prison system reviews its policy relating to serious special needs concerns are treated as a priority regardless of the stage at which they are in. This will help in improving the general focus on mental illness cases as well as ensuring that case managers have adequate time to deal with mental cases.