Misconceptions About Working in Correctional Psychiatry.

Incarcerated individuals have high rates of mental disorders and substance use disorders compared with the general population, yet correctional facilities in the United States have difficulty recruiting mental health professionals. This has led to shortages in the availability of clinicians who can provide psychiatric care in these settings. During training and in practice, mental health professionals may develop misconceptions about correctional psychiatry that deter them from the field. This article examines common misconceptions about working in correctional psychiatry, including that correctional psychiatry provides unnecessary care to criminals, supports mass incarceration, is dangerous work, represents a less respectable subspecialty, and excludes clinicians from teaching and research opportunities. This article seeks to provide a resource for mental health professionals considering working with incarcerated patients.