Disabled Prisoners

Mary A. Finn

The overall number of disabled offenders housed in prisons or jails, and the types of disabilities they possess, is not known. We know more about the extent and nature of mental disabilities than we do about physical disabilities among the incarcerated population. Most recent estimates indicate that among state prisoners 16.2% are mentally ill, of which 6.4% to 8% evidence severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, manic-depressive illness, and major depression; 4% to 10% are mentally retarded; and 10% are learning disabled. As in the general community, proportionally more women in prison appear to have mental disabilities than men. Recent estimates indicate that 31.0% ( n = 326,256) of state inmates and 23.4% ( n = 20,734) of federal inmates had a physical impairment or mental condition, and 21% of federal and state prison inmates reported that the disability limited their ability to work. Rates of vision and speech In ...

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