The Effects of Incarceration on Mental Health

A Look Into the Connection Between Jail and Mental Health

It doesn’t come as a surprise to most that incarceration has been linked to negative effects on mental health. Incarcerated individuals are removed from society, resulting in many feeling like they no longer have a purpose. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, though it varies from each incarcerated person to another, jail can cause lasting negative mental health disorders such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.

One effect of incarceration on mental health is referred to as “Post-Incarceration Syndrome.” This is similar to PTSD, where even after a person is released from incarceration, they continue to suffer from the mental effects. This is a more extreme effect that jail has on one’s mental health, but there are plenty of minor effects as well: feeling disconnected from friends and family, boredom, loss of autonomy, and feeling unsafe in one’s surroundings. These can have a huge negative impact on a person’s mental health.

A Positive Impact: Jail Video Calls

Because of the way it is set up, the negative mental health effects of the jail system aren’t going anywhere. Thankfully, there are ways to make small positive impacts on the mental health of those incarcerated. One way is for jails to allow video calls between those incarcerated and their family and friends.

According to the National Institution of Corrections, “visits from family members, children, and other sources of support can be a lifeline in the lives of incarcerated men and women. Visits provide an opportunity to maintain connection, rebuild relationships, and actively begin to form links to the community both for support and to assist in the reentry process.” Though video calls from jail don’t have the exact same effect as in-person visits, in-person visits are not always a possibility. Jail video calls are the next best thing.

With jail video calls, incarcerated individuals and their family members are able to communicate while looking at each other, be it on-screen, allowing for a deeper connection. Research has found that a jail that allows different types of visitation is linked to positive mental health of those incarcerated. This means seeing reduced symptoms of depression, feelings of isolation and fear, stress, and more. Incarcerated people who have access to visitation, including jail video calls, have also been linked to a decreased chance of felony reconviction.

Let HomeWAV Help Ease the Effects of Incarceration on Mental Health

HomeWAV’s jail video call solutions can help make a positive impact on the mental health of those who are incarcerated. In addition to video calls, we offer eMessaging, voice calls, and more. There are so many negative effects of incarceration on mental health; let HomeWAV help you make a positive impact. Create an account today to get started.