Introduction
The human rights argument, which serves as the foundation for many UN rules and norms, is central to the arguments for jail reform. However, in nations with limited financial and human resources, this justification is frequently inadequate to support jail reform initiatives. The necessity for prison changes must be weighed against the negative effects of incarceration on not just people but on families, communities, and the economy. A jail sentence only results in the denial of one’s fundamental right to liberty. Other than the rights that are inherently constrained by the very act of being incarcerated, it does not include the restriction of any other human right. To guarantee that this idea is upheld, in accordance with pertinent international standards and norms, inmates’ human rights are safeguarded, and their opportunities for social reintegration are enhanced, prison reform is required. Most addicts do not obtain treatment despite mounting evidence that addiction is a curable brain illness. Participation in unlawful activities and illicit drug-seeking behavior are common causes of involvement in the criminal justice system.
Thesis Statement
Mental health, human trafficking, and substance abuse are critical issues that need to be addressed in the criminal justice system/reform, as they deprive the inmates of some of their human rights. There is a need for criminal justice reform to focus on developing a conducive environment for the affected individuals as well as developing a more equitable and effective system.
Integrating Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment into Criminal Justice Reform
The phrase “restorative justice” is a method of enforcing the law that aims to make amends by giving both the victims and the offenders a chance to discuss and meet their needs following a crime. Some mental illnesses indeed make a person more likely to commit crimes and get involved in substance use (Alegría et al., 2021). The goal of treatment for substance use disorders is to assist patients in quitting alcohol and drugs and maintaining sobriety. Healing is a continuous process. In the previous year, 13.5% of young adults (18 to 25) reported having a drug use disorder in addition to any mental disease. In the previous year, over one in three persons reported having a drug use problem or any mental disease, and 46% of young adults (18 to 25) reported having one of these conditions (Alegría et al., 2021). It will be challenging for your mother to remain in recovery; therefore, she will need to develop new perspectives, emotions, and behaviors. According to Alegría et al. (2021), those with mental illnesses who are currently experiencing delusions, have a history of persistent paranoia, or do not receive proper treatment may be more likely to act violently.
These behaviors might represent disturbed behavior resulting from brain alterations brought on by recurrent drug use (Bonfine et al., 2020). Reducing substance misuse and related criminal conduct is made possible by treating drug-related criminals. Emerging neuroscience offers novel therapeutic methods for addiction that might be applied in the criminal justice system, which has the potential to revolutionize traditional sanction-oriented public safety measures (Bonfine et al., 2020). Refusing to rehabilitate a drug-abusing felon is a lost chance to enhance public safety and health concurrently. Treatment for those who would not otherwise receive it would be made available through the criminal court system, improving their health and lowering their recidivism rates (Bonfine et al., 2020). A comprehensive approach to public health and safety integrates continuing criminal justice monitoring with community-based treatment for substance misuse.
Human Trafficking Prevention
Thousands of people in the United States are among the more than 27 million victims of the heinous abuse of forced labor and human trafficking that occur worldwide. It poses a risk to public safety, international security, and human dignity (Langton et al., 2022). Various local situations, such as poverty, oppression, human rights violations, lack of social or economic opportunities, risks from violence or instability, and similar circumstances, are some of the main motivations that drive communities to migrate in quest of better conditions. There are two categories of serious human trafficking: Labor trafficking is the practice of forcing someone to labor or render services by compulsion, deception, or force (Langton et al., 2022). Sex trafficking is the practice of forcing someone to have commercial sex by compulsion, deception, or force. Because victims of human trafficking may rely on someone in their immediate vicinity to help them flee exploitation, it is critical to recognize these cases (Langton et al., 2022). The goal of the Together Against Human Trafficking campaign is to lower the victim count.
Improving practices
Officers must receive recruit and In-service training on the warning signs and symptoms of serious mental illness in order for police organizations to be ready to handle PSMIs efficiently and compassionately (Bonfine et al., 2020). Through cross-training, police officers and mental health professionals will be able to explore the philosophies and practical issues that influence their different expectations and obligations while responding to PSMIs, as well as to voice any concerns they may have (Bonfine et al., 2020). People with mental illnesses who commit misdemeanors or no crimes at all should not be placed in jail. Instead of being placed in jail, these people should be sent to a range of programs, such as case management, outreach, residential treatment, crisis intervention, vocational training, and family support. Furthermore, access to adequate mental health treatment is necessary for those with mental illnesses whose offenses call for their imprisonment (Bonfine et al., 2020). These services have to be offered by creating programs to offer mental health treatments in a correctional environment or by establishing connections with the community mental health system.
Recognizing the intricacy of the crime—which cannot be addressed in a vacuum—is, therefore, the first step toward stopping human trafficking and bringing the traffickers to justice. Every aspect of policy must incorporate anti-trafficking measures, from raising police wages in destination nations to enhancing female education in source countries to reduce the vulnerability of girls to trafficking (Bonfine et al., 2020). We can no longer afford to ignore the problem of human trafficking and think that it can be resolved with a few more task teams or specialized groups. Everyone must understand how it impacts them and what they can do to put an end to it (Alegría et al., 2021). Notable endeavors have already been undertaken in this regard. The best methods are mindfulness-based therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), both of which help somewhat reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms (Bonfine et al., 2020).
Benefits
When criminal justice professionals work together, the social and health outcomes for those involved in the justice system improve. For those under community supervision, it facilitates treatment programs that are complementary, coordinated reintroduction into the community, and continuity of care. People may control their sickness, overcome obstacles, and lead fulfilling lives with the right care since mental illness can be effectively treated (Alegría et al., 2021). The majority of health plans are required by law to include mental health care. Drug misuse therapy has a positive impact on the public’s health and safety as well as the results for drug abusers. Good therapy can enhance a person’s connections with family, minimize drug usage and drug-related criminal conduct in the future, and possibly increase job opportunities.
Challenges
The rising number of inmates struggling with drug abuse issues is mostly a reflection of the need for prisons to offer first-rate treatment programs. Drug therapy presents a number of difficulties in this context despite the evident promise of jail intervention. Most people who require mental health services globally do not obtain high-quality mental health treatment (Alegría et al., 2021). The existing gaps in mental health are a result of a number of factors, including stigma, understaffing, disjointed service delivery models, and a lack of research capacity for policy reform and implementation (Porter, 2020). Two significant variables influencing the prison population are the misuse of pretrial custody and the usage of prisons for relatively minor offenses. In addition to increasing rates of violence, self-harm, and suicide, overcrowding and its related issues, such as invasion of privacy, can either precipitate or worsen mental health issues.
Conclusion
Recent years have seen a rise in the popularity of criminal justice reform, with proponents of the reforms coming from a wide range of political and social backgrounds. Sadly, the criminal justice system frequently fails to achieve its intended purpose of ensuring public safety and protection. It is critical to resolve the reform system’s issue and achieve success for everybody. Ongoing drug treatment enables recently released offenders to address post-release issues, including developing a peer support network for drug treatment, learning coping mechanisms for situations that might trigger a relapse, and learning how to live drug-free in the community and thus a liberated way of life. It is well acknowledged that fostering cooperation between the criminal justice system and mental health is crucial to resolving these problems. Effective collaboration is challenging to create, though, because mental health and criminal justice professionals have fundamentally different cultures and approaches. The function of the legal system for crimes includes Establishing national criminal justice systems and taking action to prevent and combat human trafficking as mandated by the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, specifically Article 5.
References
Alegría, M., Frank, R. G., Hansen, H. B., Sharfstein, J. M., Shim, R. S., & Tierney, M. (2021). Transforming Mental Health And Addiction Services: Commentary describes steps to improve outcomes for people with mental illness and addiction in the United States. Health Affairs, 40(2), 226-234. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01472
Bonfine, N., Wilson, A. B., & Munetz, M. R. (2020). Meeting the needs of justice-involved people with serious mental illness within community behavioral health systems. Psychiatric Services, 71(4), 355–363. https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ps.201900453
Bonfine, N., Wilson, A. B., & Munetz, M. R. (2020). Meeting the needs of justice-involved people with serious mental illness within community behavioral health systems. Psychiatric Services, 71(4), 355–363. https://elisajacome.github.io/Jacome/Jacome_JMP.pdf
Langton, L., Planty, M. G., Banks, D., Witwer, A. R., Woods, D., Vermeer, M. J., & Jackson, B. A. (2022). Sex trafficking and substance use: identifying high-priority needs within the criminal justice system. Rand Health Quarterly, 9(4). https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA100/RRA108-13/RAND_RRA108-13.pdf
Porter, N. D. (2020). Top trends in criminal justice reform. The Sentencing Project. http://criminologie.org.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Porter_Top-Trends-in-Criminal-Justice-Reform-USA-2022.pdf
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