|
|
 |
|
|
The Adverse Social Effects of Mental Illness
- Crime: According to a study by the Department of Justice, over 1,000 homicides are committed every year by the mentally ill (J.M. Dawson and P.A. Langan, Murder in Families, U.S. Department of Justice, 1994.)
- According to a 1999 Department of justice report, at least 16 percent of the total jail and prison population, or nearly 300,000 people, have a serious mental illness. Altogether it costs American taxpayers $15 billion per year to house support the mentally ill prison population ($50,000 per inmate annually x 300,000 inmates) (1999 Source Book: Criminal Justice Statistics.)
- Substance Abuse: The mentally ill are almost twice as likely as other people to be alcoholics or on drugs. (Fox Butterfield, "Studies of Mental Illness Show Links to Violence," New York Times, May 15, 1998.)
- Domestic Violence: More than 85 percent of the violent crime committed by the mentally ill is directed against family members, versus only 14 percent against strangers.
- Homelessness: About 25% of the adult homeless population is mentally ill.
- Lack of mental health care results in an $80 billion loss of productivity.
|
|
|
The NCPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy organization. We depend entirely on the financial support of individuals, corporations and foundations that believe in private sector solutions to public policy problems.
12770 Coit Rd., Suite 800 - Dallas, TX 75251-1339 Phone 972/386-6272 - Fax 972/386-0924
601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 900 South Building, Washington, DC 20004 Phone 202/220-3082 - Fax 202/220-3096
Copyright © 2002 National Center for Policy Analysis All rights reserved - Privacy Policy
|
