U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Special Report
July 2001, NCJ 188215

Mental Health Treatment
in State Prisons, 2000
By Allen J. Beck, Ph.D.
and Laura M. Maruschak
BJS Statisticians
On June 30, 2000, 1,394 of the
Nation’s 1,558 State public and private
adult correctional facilities reported that
they provide mental health services to
their inmates.* Nearly 70% of facilities
housing State prison inmates reported
that, as a matter of policy, they screen
inmates at intake; 65% conduct psychiatric assessments; 51% provide
24-hour mental health care; 71%
provide therapy/counseling by trained
mental health professionals; 73%
distribute psychotropic medications to
their inmates; and 66% help released
inmates obtain community mental
health services.
One in every 8 State prisoners was
receiving some mental health therapy
or counseling services at midyear
2000. Nearly 10% were receiving
psychotropic medications (including
antidepressants, stimulants, sedatives,
tranquilizers, or other anti-psychotic
drugs). Fewer than 2% of State
inmates were housed in a 24-hour
mental health unit.
This report is based on the 2000
Census of State and Federal Adult
Correctional Facilities, an enumeration
of all 84 Federal facilities, 1,320 State
facilities, and 264 private facilities in
operation on June 30, 2000. For the
first time, the 2000 census included
items related to facility policies on
mental health screening and treatment.
*Excluded from this report are locally
operated jails and Federal confinement
facilities.

Highlights
Nearly all State adult confinement facilities screen inmates
for mental health problems or provide treatment
Percent of facilities

 Mental health screening and treatMental
Confine- Community- ment services were more frequently
health policy
ment
based
reported by State confinement faciliAny
95%
82%
ties (95%) than by community-based
Screen at intake
78
47
facilities (82%).
Conduct psychiatric
assessments
Provide 24-hour care
Provide therapy/counseling
Distribute psychotropic
medications
Assist releasees

79
63
84

30
20
35

83
72

49
51


 Community-based facilities, in

which at least 50% of the inmates
regularly depart unaccompanied, were
less likely to report mental health
screening (47%), assessment (30%),
and therapy/counseling (35%).

1 in 10 State inmates receiving psychotropic medications;
1 in 8 in mental health therapy or counseling

Facility
characteristic
All

Percent of inmates
receiving 

Therapy/
Psychotropic
counseling medications
13%
10%

Public
Private

13
10

10
7

Confinement
Community-based

13
9

10
5

Males only
Females only
Both

12
27
14

9
22
13


 On June 30, 2000, an estimated

150,900 State inmates were in mental
health therapy/counseling programs;
114,400 inmates were receiving
psychotropic medications; and
18,900 were in 24-hour care.


 Maine, Montana,
Nebraska, Hawaii, and Oregon 

approximately 20% of the State
inmates were receiving psychotropic
medications.

 In 5 States

155 State facilities specialized in psychiatric confinement, but general
confinement facilities provided a majority of treatment

Number of facilities
Number of inmates

Percent receiving 

24-hour care
Therapy/counseling
Psychotropic
medications

Mental health Other
confinement functions
155
1,403
217,420

961,387

7%
19

0%
9

17

7


 12 facilities reported mental health/

psychiatric confinement as their
primary function; 143 reported it as
a specialty among other functions.

 About two-thirds of all inmates

receiving therapy/counseling or
medications were in facilities that
didn’t specialize in providing mental
health services in confinement.

Inmates screened at admission and
placed in general confinement or
specialized facilities
State prison systems typically screen
inmates for mental disorders at a
reception/diagnostic center prior to
placement in a State facility. As of
June 30, 2000, 161 facilities reported
serving this function, including at least
1 in every State. Nearly all of these
facilities (153) reported that they either
screened inmates or conducted psychiatric evaluations to determine inmate
mental health or emotional status.
In addition, 155 facilities (in 47 States)
reported mental health/psychiatric
confinement as a special function.
Only three States 
 North Dakota,
Rhode Island, and Wyoming 
 lacked
a special psychiatric confinement facility. In these States inmates needing
special confinement separate from
other inmates are placed in State
hospitals, prison infirmaries, or in
special needs units within general
confinement facilities.
Mental health services most
commonly provided in maximum/
high-security confinement facilities
Facility policies relating to mental
health screening, assessment, and
treatment vary by type of facility and
security level. Community-based facilities, in which 50% or more of their
inmates are regularly permitted to
depart unaccompanied, are less likely
(82%) than State confinement facilities
(95%) to have policies related to
mental health screening and care
(table 1).
On each mental health policy considered, about half or fewer of the
community-based facilities reported
having such a policy. The most
common policy for community-based
facilities was providing assistance to
released inmates to obtain mental
health services in the community
(51%). The least common was providing 24-hour mental health care to
inmates (20%).

Table 1. Mental health screening and treatment in State correctional
facilities, by type of facility, June 30, 2000

Mental health policy
Total
Any screening/treatment
Screen inmates at intake
Conduct psychiatric assessments
Provide 24-hour mental health care
Provide therapy/counseling
Distribute psychotropic medications
Help released inmates obtain services
No screening/treatment
Not reported

All facilities
Number Percent

Confinement Community-based
facilities
facilities
Number Percent Number Percent

1,558 100.0%

1,109 100.0%

449

100.0%

1,394
1,055
990
776
1,073
1,115
1,006

91.8%
69.5
65.2
51.1
70.6
73.4
66.2

1,047
855
864
693
926
910
790

95.4%
77.9
78.8
63.2
84.4
83.0
72.0

347
200
126
83
147
205
216

82.2%
47.4
29.9
19.7
34.8
48.6
51.2

125

8.2%

50

4.6%

75

17.8%

39

12

27

Note: Excludes 84 Federal facilities and 26 privately operated facilities
in which at least half of the inmates were under Federal authority.
Includes facilities in which 50 percent or more of their inmates are regularly
permitted to depart unaccompanied and those facilities whose primary
function is community corrections, work release, or prerelease.

Table 2. Mental health screening and treatment in State confinement
facilities, by facility security level, June 30, 2000

Mental health policy
Total

Facility security level
Medium
Minimum/low
Maximum/high
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
299

100.0%

489

100.0%

316

100.0%

296
261
264
189
283
285
253

99.0%
87.3
88.3
63.2
94.6
95.3
84.6

482
402
409
358
444
432
363

99.0%
82.5
84.0
73.5
91.2
88.7
74.5

265
190
190
144
196
190
172

86.6%
62.1
62.1
47.1
64.1
62.1
56.2

No screening/treatment

3

1.0%

5

1.0%

41

13.2%

Not reported

0

Any screening/treatment
Screen inmates at intake
Conduct psychiatric assessments
Provide 24-hour mental health care
Provide therapy/counseling
Distribute psychotropic medications
Help released inmates obtain services

2

10

Note: Excludes five confinement facilities without a designated security level.

Among confinement facilities, the most
common forms of treatment were
therapy/counseling (84%) and distribution of psychotropic medications (83%).
At least three-quarters of the facilities
reported screening inmates at intake
and conducting psychiatric assessments. Nearly two-thirds of confinement facilities reported that 24-hour
mental health care was available to
inmates either on or off facility grounds.
Mental health screening and treatment
policies were more frequently reported
by maximum/high-security facilities
than by minimum/low-security facilities
(table 2). Almost all maximum-security
confinement facilities (99%) reported
conducting screening and providing

2 Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

some form of treatment. The most
common (95%) was the distribution of
psychotropic medications and providing mental health therapy/counseling.
Overall, 125 facilities reported that they
did not provide any mental health
services to inmates. Of these facilities,
75 were community-based and 41
were minimum/low-security confinement facilities. The absence of mental
health policies within these facilities
may reflect the confinement and treatment of mentally ill inmates elsewhere
within the State systems. On June 30,
2000, fewer than 1.8% of all State
inmates were held in facilities in which
mental health services were not available.

Based on inmate self-reports,
at midyear 2000 State prisons held
191,000 mentally ill inmates
In the Special Report Mental Health
Treatment of Inmates and Probationers
(NCJ 174463), BJS estimated that
16.2% of State prisoners were mentally
ill. Drawing from inmate surveys
conducted in 1997, BJS found that
10.1% of State inmates reported a
mental or emotional condition and
10.7% said they had stayed overnight
in a mental hospital or program.
Though these estimates depend on
inmate self-reports, they provide an
overall measure of the need for mental
health treatment in State prisons.
Assuming these percentages have not
changed since the surveys were
conducted, an estimated 191,000
inmates in State prisons were mentally
ill as of midyear 2000.
13% of State inmates receiving
mental health therapy; 10%
receiving psychotropic medications
The 2000 prison census findings reveal
a great diversity in the amount and type
of treatment being provided among
State correctional facilities. Overall,
1.6% of all inmates (or about 10% of all
those identified as mentally ill) were
receiving 24-hour care in special
housing or a psychiatric unit (table 3).
Inmates in public facilities (1.8%) and
confinement facilities (1.8%) were
somewhat more likely than those in
private facilities (1.1%) and communitybased facilities (0.3%) to be receiving
24-hour care.
Nearly 13% of State inmates (or about
79% of those mentally ill) were receiving mental health therapy or counseling
services from a trained professional on
a regular basis. The percent receiving
therapy was the highest in female-only
confinement facilities (with more than 1
in 4 female inmates receiving therapy)
and in maximum/high-security facilities
(with nearly 1 in 6 inmates in therapy)
(table 4).

Table 3. Inmates receiving mental health treatment in State correctional
facilities, by facility characteristic, June 30, 2000

Facility characteristic
Total
Reporteda
Estimatedb

Number of inmates receiving —
Therapy/
Psychotropic
24-hour mental
counseling
medications
health care
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
17,354
18,900

1.6%

137,395
150,900

12.8%

105,336
114,400

9.7%

Facility operation
Public
Private

16,429
734

1.8%
1.1

118,933
7,763

12.8%
11.4

92,414
5,158

9.8%
7.5

Authority to house
Males only
Females only
Both

13,161
834
3,168

1.5%
1.4
4.5

102,235
15,262
9,199

11.7%
26.5
13.9

75,664 8.5%
12,536 21.5
9,372 13.2

Type of facility
Community-based
Confinement

177
16,986

0.3%
1.8

4,320
122,376

8.7%
12.9

2,458
95,114

4.8%
9.8

11,485

1.3%

109,009

12.8%

82,929

9.6%

Facility functionc
General confinement
Special function
Reception/diagnostic center
Community corrections
Medical treatment
Mental health
Alcohol/drug treatment
Boot camp/youthful offenders
Otherd

1,029 2.5
107 0.3
332 17.0
3,335 47.5
0 0.0
176 1.3
699 2.1

6,362
2,588
164
3,373
1,323
720
3,153

14.7
7.4
13.2
46.7
7.7
6.3
9.4

5,392 11.7
1,662 4.6
430 22.1
3,277 45.3
761 4.5
488 4.4
2,631 7.9

a
Includes inmates receiving mental health treatment in Florida for whom
only statewide totals were reported.
b
National totals were estimated by multiplying the reported percentages by the total
number of persons in State custody on June 30, 2000.
c
Facilities could report more than one function. Primary function was the category
with the largest number of inmates on June 30, 2000.
d
Includes transfer facilities, juvenile confinement, protective custody, sex offender
treatment, and death row.

Table 4. Inmates receiving mental health treatment in State confinement
facilities, by facility characteristic, June 30, 2000

Facility characteristic
Totala

Number of inmates receiving —
Therapy/
Psychotropic
24-hour mental
counseling
medications
health care
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
16,986

1.8%

122,376

12.9%

95,114

9.8%

Facility operation
Public
Private

16,270
716

1.8%
1.3

116,296
6,080

13.0%
10.8

90,721 10.0%
4,393 7.7

Authority to house
Males only
Females only
Both

13,064
830
3,092

1.5%
1.5
5.9

100,371
14,744
7,261

11.9%
27.1
14.3

74,736 8.7%
12,119 22.1
8,259 15.2

Security level
Maximum/high
Medium
Minimum/low

6,928
9,608
448

2.4%
1.8
0.4

44,637
65,726
11,593

14.9%
12.6
9.3

35,069 11.5%
52,208 9.8
7,355 5.8

Facility sizeb
1,500 or more
750-1,499
250-749
100-249
Fewer than 100

6,298
5,140
4,582
888
78

1.4%
1.6
3.5
3.3
2.3

59,970
41,953
16,831
3,309
313

12.8%
13.0
13.4
12.4
11.0

45,283 9.3%
31,816 9.9
14,866 11.6
2,867 10.9
282 8.8

a
Excludes inmates in mental health treatment in Florida for whom only
statewide totals were reported.
b
Based on the average daily population between July 1, 1999, and June 30, 2000.

Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

3

Facilities also reported that nearly 10%
of all inmates (an estimated 114,400
inmates nationwide) were receiving
psychotropic medications. The use of
these drugs (including antidepressants,
stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers) was the most common in facilities specializing in mental health
confinement (45%), medical treatment
facilities (22%), and female-only
confinement facilities (22%).
General confinement facilities
provided most mental health
treatment
The 2000 census identified 155 facilities that specialize in mental health/
psychiatric confinement. Twelve of
these facilities reported that their
primary function (identified by the
largest number of inmates) was mental
health confinement (table 5). In some
States these facilities are used to
house mentally ill inmates separately
from the general population; in other
States they are used to remove
inmates in response to acute episodes
for a short term. The most severely
mentally ill may be transferred to
outside agencies (such as State mental
hospitals and secure psychiatric hospitals) for long-term treatment.
Facilities with mental health confinement as their primary function are
typically smaller than other facilities.
Between July 1, 1999, and June 30,
2000, these facilities had an average
daily population of 690 inmates, compared to an average of 1,460 in facilities that provide specialized care but
hold other inmates as well. On June
30, 2000, these 12 facilities held more
than 8,124 inmates, and, on average,
were operating at about 88% of their
rated capacity.
The majority of inmates receiving
therapy/counseling and medications
were housed in facilities without a
mental health specialty. Nearly 70%
of all inmates receiving therapy and
65% of those receiving psychotropic
medication were in general confinement or community-based facilities.

Table 5. Characteristics of State correctional facilities
providing mental health services, June 30, 2000

Characteristic
Number of facilities
Average daily population
1,500 or more
750-1,499
250-749
100-249
Fewer than 100
Mean
Number of inmates held
on June 30, 2000
Number of inmates
receiving treatmentb
In 24-hour care
In therapy/counseling
Psychotropic medications
Percent of inmates
In 24-hour care
In therapy/counseling
Psychotropic medications
Rated capacityc
Percent of capacity
occupiedd

Facilities that specialize in mental
Other facilities
Communityhealth/psychiatric confinementa
Total
Primary Secondary Confinement
based
155

12

143

961

442

44
54
37
13
7
1,400

2
1
5
3
1
690

42
53
32
10
6
1,460

169
310
278
157
47
928

3
3
32
114
290
130

217,420

8,124

209,296

902,976

58,411

13,739
38,992
34,426

3,335
3,373
3,277

10,404
35,619
31,149

3,308
83,828
60,976

116
3,876
2,170

6.8%
19.2
16.6
217,682
99.9%

47.5%
46.7
45.3
9,255
87.8%

5.3%
18.2
15.6
208,427
100.4%

0.4%
11.2
8.0
899,528
100.4%

0.2%
8.1
4.4
61,664
94.7%

a
Facilities could report more than one function. Primary function was the
category which applied to the largest number of inmates on June 30. Secondary function includes all other facilities that reported mental health/psychiatric
confinement as a facility function.
b
Excludes inmates in mental health treatment in Florida for whom only statewide
totals were reported.
c
Rated capacity is the maximum number of beds or inmates assigned
by a rating official.
d
Percent of capacity occupied is the ratio of number of inmates held to the rated
capacity on June 30, 2000.

In four States 
 Louisiana, Nebraska,
Maine, and Wyoming 
 facilities
reported that at least a quarter of all
State inmates were receiving mental
health therapy or counseling services.
Among all States, only Hawaii, which
In 5 States nearly 20% of inmates
receiving pyschotropic medications operates an integrated prison and jail
system, reported that fewer than 5% of
their inmates were receiving mental
Excluding States in which fewer than
90% of inmates were in facilities report- health therapy/counseling.
ing on mental health items, the census
Among all correctional facilities, the
found that the use of psychotropic
Louisiana State Penitentiary in Baton
medications was most common in
Rouge reported the largest number of
Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nebraska,
inmates in therapy (1,736), followed by
and Oregon (with nearly 20% of all
the California Men’s Colony in San Luis
inmates) and least common in
Obispo (1,721), the California Medical
Alabama, Arkansas, and Michigan
(with fewer than 5% of inmates receiv- Facility in Vacaville (1,300), and the
Indiana Wabash Valley Correctional
ing medications) (appendix table B).
Facility (1,021) (appendix table C).
In contrast, most inmates receiving
24-hour mental health care (80%) were
receiving that care in a specialized
confinement facility.

4 Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

Appendix table A. Mental health screening and treatment in State correctional facilities, June 30, 2000
Number of facilities, by type of policy
Distribute
Help released
Provide 24- Provide
Conduct
psychotropic inmates obtain
hour mental therapy/
psychiatric
assessments health care counseling medications services

Total*

Screen
inmates
at intake

1,558

1,055

990

776

1,073

1,115

1,006

125

39

Northeast
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont

233
20
8
25
8
43
69
44
7
9

154
17
6
20
4
27
31
36
7
6

163
17
5
17
5
24
52
29
7
7

152
13
3
15
4
14
66
32
0
5

173
18
7
21
7
23
53
29
7
8

178
16
7
20
7
30
43
40
7
8

167
16
6
20
7
25
40
39
7
7

5
0
0
0
0
3
0
2
0
0

3
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1

Midwest
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

301
48
25
30
11
70
9
28
9
3
34
4
30

190
30
17
11
9
39
1
27
2
2
34
2
16

167
30
14
12
8
43
1
0
2
2
34
3
18

140
32
14
12
9
35
1
0
0
1
26
1
9

207
31
15
10
9
40
8
27
9
2
33
3
20

210
31
13
21
10
31
9
27
9
2
32
4
21

196
34
13
23
11
32
8
27
0
2
29
3
14

25
4
4
2
0
10
0
1
0
1
0
0
3

1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

South
Alabama
Arkansas
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia

730
35
15
9
6
106
83
25
17
26
28
80
52
34
15
127
61
11

527
16
12
8
2
98
54
15
12
12
12
49
37
19
14
117
44
6

497
21
12
8
2
90
45
12
11
14
11
55
30
18
14
114
34
6

338
13
12
2
3
1
38
8
11
13
5
31
25
17
15
111
31
2

514
21
12
8
2
88
41
13
10
18
8
68
33
21
15
114
34
8

535
26
12
8
3
88
47
12
11
18
9
73
37
22
15
118
30
6

471
11
12
5
4
85
48
14
11
22
2
61
20
20
14
109
29
4

59
3
3
0
2
8
6
1
0
2
9
0
4
5
0
2
14
0

17
1
0
1
0
0
2
0
5
0
1
2
3
0
0
2
0
0

West
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

294
24
16
86
47
10
13
8
20
10
13
8
30
9

184
16
15
50
16
10
7
6
11
10
13
6
17
7

163
10
13
35
30
9
5
5
10
10
10
5
15
6

146
6
13
28
32
9
6
4
7
8
7
4
17
5

179
12
14
41
34
10
5
6
10
10
9
5
17
6

192
19
14
36
38
9
10
6
9
9
12
6
17
7

172
18
12
38
35
1
7
4
9
8
11
7
15
7

36
1
0
13
0
0
1
0
7
0
0
0
13
1

18
1
1
12
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0

Region and
State
Total

No services No data
provided
reported

*Includes 1,295 State-operated facilities, 22 facilities under joint State and local authority, 3 facilities operated by the

District of Columbia, and 238 private facilities with more than 50% of their inmates held for State authorities.

Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

5

Appendix table B. Inmates receiving mental health treatment
in State correctional facilities, June 30, 2000

Region and State
Total

24-hour care
Number
Percent
17,354

1.6%

Number of inmates receiving —
Inmates in custody
Therapy/counseling
Psychotropic medications In all
In facilities
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
facilities reporting data* covered
137,385

12.8%

105,336

9.7%

1,178,807

1,088,023

92.3%

Northeast
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont

1,715
341
26
309
92
467
262
178
10
30

1.0 %
2.3
2.8
3.0
4.9
1.8
0.4
0.5
0.3
3.0

20,099
2,596
538
2,271
387
2,308
6,888
4,761
/
350

12.6%
17.8
33.0
21.8
20.7
9.2
10.2
13.0
/
34.9

14,840
1,659
367
1,331
228
2,541
4,539
3,891
/
284

9.2
11.4
23.5
12.7
12.2
9.4
6.7
10.6
/
28.3

171,723
16,984
1,629
10,500
2,277
27,118
71,662
36,895
3,347
1,311

160,938
14,577
1,562
10,500
1,872
27,118
67,595
36,710
0
1,004

93.7%
85.8
95.9
100.0
82.2
100.0
94.3
99.5
0.0
76.6

Midwest
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

3,843
672
354
134
218
760
32
12
84
/
1,042
43
492

1.7%
1.5
1.9
1.5
2.4
1.7
0.4
0.0
2.4
/
2.2
1.7
3.2

32,461
4,374
4,281
1,293
2,075
4,678
1,222
3,331
982
/
7,165
577
2,483

14.3%
9.9
23.5
14.3
23.1
10.5
16.4
11.9
28.0
/
15.0
22.3
20.4

21,527
2,954
2,392
1,122
1,518
2,161
1,312
1,054
691
247
4,921
420
2,735

9.3%
6.7
13.1
12.4
16.9
4.8
17.6
3.8
19.7
39.3
10.3
16.2
18.0

233,993
44,150
18,195
9,086
8,992
47,639
7,451
27,963
3,508
992
47,915
2,591
15,511

230,640
44,000
18,195
9,031
8,992
45,183
7,451
27,963
3,508
628
47,915
2,591
15,183

98.6%
99.7
100.0
99.4
100.0
94.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
63.3
100.0
100.0
97.9

South
Alabama
Arkansas
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia

7,106
556
82
2
38
191
2,070
126
201
253
580
715
187
39
399
1,638
0
29

1.6%
2.5
0.8
0.0
1.6
0.3
4.8
1.0
1.2
1.3
3.9
2.5
0.8
0.2
2.2
1.5
0.0
1.0

54,119
1,768
1,117
801
503
10,689
5,302
2,626
5,062
2,829
1,607
3,747
3,349
1,122
430
9,599
3,215
353

11.9%
8.4
10.7
14.5
21.1
14.9
12.1
21.9
27.0
14.9
10.9
13.2
14.6
5.3
6.5
7.7
10.6
12.6

41,280
1,078
424
739
213
7,764
4,659
2,296
1,626
2,344
1,935
2,783
2,716
28
1,811
7,838
2,540
486

9.1%
4.9
4.1
12.5
8.9
10.8
10.6
18.5
8.7
12.4
13.1
10.2
11.8
1.1
9.9
6.2
8.4
16.1

510,287
22,395
10,465
6,023
2,574
71,616
44,235
12,378
19,167
22,821
14,823
30,708
23,858
21,277
18,368
155,099
31,412
3,068

452,197
22,169
10,465
5,910
2,385
71,616
43,958
12,378
18,757
18,933
14,748
27,406
23,013
2,627
18,368
126,084
30,368
3,012

88.6%
99.0
100.0
98.1
92.7
100.0
99.4
100.0
97.9
83.0
99.5
89.2
96.5
12.3
100.0
81.3
96.7
98.2

West
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

4,690
93
378
3,144
274
120
1
13
54
138
65
22
381
7

1.9%
2.9
1.4
2.1
1.8
3.2
0.0
0.6
0.8
2.7
0.8
1.8
2.6
0.3

30,706
286
3,874
18,863
2,213
100
547
268
599
803
2,032
306
/
815

13.5%
10.8
14.7
12.5
14.9
2.7
14.3
12.0
10.6
15.6
21.8
29.0
/
37.3

27,689
238
2,194
15,831
2,180
746
728
478
529
427
1,796
239
1,925
378

11.3%
9.0
8.3
10.5
14.2
19.8
19.1
21.4
7.7
8.5
19.6
19.8
13.1
17.3

262,804
3,248
27,005
160,727
15,655
3,761
3,961
2,368
9,296
5,158
9,933
4,824
14,682
2,186

244,248
2,657
26,360
150,884
15,339
3,761
3,813
2,233
6,914
5,028
9,181
1,210
14,682
2,186

92.9%
81.8
97.6
93.9
98.0
100.0
96.3
94.3
74.4
97.5
92.4
25.1
100.0
100.0

Note: Percents based on the number of inmates held in facilities reporting data. Totals vary by item:
1,073,455 for 24-hour care; 1,069,605 for therapy/counseling; and 1,088,023 for use of medications.
/Not reported.
*Based on facilities reporting use of psychotropic medications.

6 Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

Appendix table C. The 35 largest State correctional facilities providing
mental health therapy/treatment, June 30, 2000

Name

Inmates
State on June 30

Total

Number of inmates receiving —
In 24-hour In therapy/ Psychotropic
care
counseling medications

Percent of inmates receiving —
In 24-hour
In therapy/ Psychotropic
care
counseling medications

122,635

3,278

24,557

16,451

2.8%

20.0%

13.4%

Louisiana State Penitentiary, Baton Rouge
CA Men’s Colony, San Luis Obispo
CA Medical Facility, Vacaville
Wabash Valley Correctional Facility
Dixon Correctional Center

LA
CA
CA
IN
IL

5,116
6,683
3,070
2,061
2,164

80
221
1,300
47
600

1,736
1,721
1,300
1,021
960

199
1,621
1,300
294
575

1.6%
3.3
42.3
2.3
27.7

33.9%
25.8
42.3
49.5
44.4

3.9%
24.3
42.3
14.3
26.6

CA Institute for Women, Corona
Mule Creek State Prison
Substance Abuse Treatment, Corcoran
CA State Prison, Sacramento
CA State Prison, Los Angeles

CA
CA
CA
CA
CA

1,954
3,566
6,284
2,975
4,210

190
7
14
16
8

900
854
817
794
779

600
769
450
763
594

9.7%
0.2
0.2
0.5
0.2

46.1%
23.9
13.0
26.7
18.5

30.7%
21.6
7.2
25.6
14.1

Wasco State Prison
Correctional Training Facility, Soledad
CA Correctional Institution, Tehachapi
ASP Complex, Eyman
CA State Prison, Solano

CA
CA
CA
AZ
CA

5,932
7,223
5,243
4,306
5,863

/
7
118
100
9

735
726
719
710
708

525
497
539
393
610

0.0%
0.1
2.3
2.3
0.2

12.4%
10.1
13.7
16.5
12.1

8.9%
6.9
10.3
9.1
10.4

Salinas Valley State Prison
CA Rehabilitation Center, Norco
Hutchison Correctional Facility
Valley State Prison for Women
CA State Prison, San Quentin

CA
CA
KS
CA
CA

4,244
4,795
1,874
3,476
5,802

98
7
0
4
14

707
705
700
691
689

604
278
498
392
517

2.3%
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.2

16.7%
14.7
37.4
19.9
11.9

14.2%
5.8
26.6
11.3
8.9

Avenal State Prison
Centinela State Prison
KY State Reformatory, La Grange
OR State Penitentiary, Salem
Central Women's Facility, Chowchilla

CA
CA
KY
OR
CA

6,555
4,569
1,520
1,926
3,445

250
2
121
43
5

686
685
683
681
675

428
11
451
527
636

3.8%
0.0
8.0
2.2
0.1

10.5%
15.0
44.9
35.4
19.6

6.5%
0.2
29.7
27.4
18.5

ASP Complex, Perryville
MS State Penitentiary, Parchman
North Kern State Prison
Gatesville Unit
ASP Complex, Florence

AZ
MS
CA
TX
AZ

1,564
4,986
4,952
2,051
3,417

36
7
7
0
3

674
645
625
617
614

339
645
580
506
310

2.3%
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.1

43.1%
12.9
12.6
30.1
18.0

21.7 %
12.9
11.7
24.7
9.1

Note: Facilities were ranked based on the number of inmates receiving mental health therapy or counseling
services on June 30, 2000.
/Not reported.

Methodology
The 2000 Census of State and Federal
Adult Correctional Facilities was the
sixth enumeration of State institutions
sponsored by the Bureau of Justice
Statistics. Earlier censuses were
completed in 1974, 1979, 1984, 1990,
and 1995.
The facility universe was developed
from the 1995 census. Each department of corrections was contacted to
identify new facilities and facilities that
had been closed since June 30, 1995.
Data were collected from all facilities,
resulting in a final response rate of
100%.

primarily State or Federal prisoners;
were physically, functionally, and
administratively separate; and operational on June 30, 2000. Overall, the
census identified 84 Federal facilities,
1,295 State facilities, 22 facilities under
State and local authority, 3 facilities
operated by the District of Columbia,
and 264 privately operated facilities.

prison hospitals; drug and alcohol
treatment facilities; and State-operated
local detention facilities (in Alaska,
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode
Island, and Vermont).

Facilities were classified as community
based if 50% or more of their inmates
were regularly permitted to leave
unaccompanied or if their primary
The census included the following
function was community corrections.
types of adult correctional facilities:
Such facilities included halfway houses
prisons and penitentiaries; boot camps; and restitution, prerelease, work
prison farms; reception, diagnostic,
release, and study release centers.
and classification centers; road camps,
forestry and conservation camps;
youthful offender facilities (except in
California); vocational training facilities;

Facilities were included in the census
if they had separate staffs; housed
Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

7

Correctional facilities were classified as
confinement facilities if fewer than 50%
of the inmates are regularly permitted
to leave unaccompanied. On June 30,
2000, 463 State facilities were
community-based and 1,121 were
confinement facilities.

All Federal facilities and 26 privately
operated facilities that held at least
50% of their inmates for Federal
authorities were excluded from this
report. Data on policies and the
numbers of inmates receiving mental
health treatment within these facilities
on June 30, 2000, were not available.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics
is the statistical agency of the U. S.
Department of Justice. Lawrence A.
Greenfeld is the acting director.

and Ellen Goldberg edited the report.
Jayne Robinson administered final
production.

Data collection and processing for the
2000 Census of State and Federal
Adult Correctional Facilities were
carried out by Pam Butler and Linda
Huang, with assistance from Patricia
Torreyson and Bill Bryner, under the
Allen J. Beck and Laura M. Maruschak supervision of Charlene Sebold,
wrote this report. Paige Harrison and Governments Division, U.S. Census
Erika Westry provided statistical assis- Bureau.
tance and verification. Tom Hester
July 2001, NCJ 188215
BJS Selected Findings summarize
statistics about a topic of current
concern from both BJS and non-BJS
data sets.

8 Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

This report in portable document
format and in ASCII, its tables, and
related statistical data are available
at the BJS World Wide Web Internet site:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/