The Life of a Phoenix Veteran Inmate
Many of the men and women who have served our country in the military have lived through traumatic experiences and witnessed horrific things. The things they have seen and the injuries sustained while in service affect their brains and often leave them with problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. It […]
Mentally Ill, Drug-Addicted Individuals Need Treatment, Not Jail
Our prisons are filled with mentally ill individuals, some of whom were born with disabilities, and others who have been damaged by circumstances and environment. All mentally ill offenders have their own unique conditions and needs, yet all too often they are simply cycled through the criminal justice system. Regardless of the crime committed, many […]
Insanity Defense is Not for Everyone
Recently in Arizona, a jury rejected a Phoenix man’s insanity defense. The man was charged with shooting and killing his half-brother and his half-brother’s son. Allegedly, the man shot his half-brother in a drug dealing dispute, and then kidnapped and shot the 6-year-old son because the boy either witnessed or heard his father’s death. The […]
Video Games Prescribed for Mental Health?
Games, word puzzles, and number puzzles have long been believed to help improve memory and concentration. There is a huge market of “brain fitness” games that claim to make our brains better, faster, smarter. Whether the games really do what they claim to do is up for debate, but the brain game market is booming […]
Long Term Mental Health Effects of Solitary Confinement
In the United States, there are about 75,000 state and federal prisoners being held in solitary confinement on any given day. The majority spend 23 hours or more per day in their cells alone. Inmates who have spent years in solitary confinement sometimes refer to it as “a concrete tomb,” and often feel the chilling […]
Mental Health in the Spotlight Following Phoenix Beheading
By now, many valley residents have heard the news story about the man in Phoenix accused of beheading his wife, as well as severing his own arm and removing his eyeball. It is a gruesome story, with a confusing backstory. Both husband and wife had pasts that involved long stays at the Arizona State Hospital. […]
Jail Mental Health Unit
In Yavapai County, Arizona, they are rethinking what the jail experience should be like for mentally ill individuals. Jailed individuals with mental illness often act up and exhibit out of control behaviors that land them in isolation cells, when what they really need is something different. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department Captain David Rhodes says, “When […]
Police Encounters can Turn Deadly for the Mentally Unstable
According to a Washington Post analysis, 462 people have been shot and killed by police officers in the United States in the first 6 months of 2015. 124 of these people were in the midst of a mental or emotional crisis. While most of those 124 were armed, the majority of them had not actually […]
Theater Shooting Trial Puts Mental Health in Spotlight
Almost 3 years ago, James Holmes, now 27, opened fire on a theater full of people during the midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colorado. 12 people were killed in the shooting, and 70 people were injured. Holmes does not deny the crime, but has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. […]
Violent Kids Stress Loving Families
Here in Arizona, there are not many places to turn if you have a violent child. Whether the violence is caused by mental illness, developmental disabilities, autism, brain injuries, or a combination of these factors, the task of helping these children is generally passed around from one person or organization to the next. With no […]