PTSD & Incarceration

What is it about?

Is there a relationship between being incarcerated and having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? People who are likely to be incarcerated (people who use drugs, who assault other people, who live in high poverty areas) are by virtue of the same factors, more likely to have PTSD. We used a national sample of African Americans to examine this issue. We found those who experienced incarceration also had higher rates of PTSD. We found this even after controlling for factors that could increase the rate of PTSD, like prior trauma exposure. However, we don't know which came first, incarceration or PTSD. This sample, like many others, also did not include active military members or the homeless, people who are likely to experience PTSD and incarceration (the homeless).

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Why is it important?

PTSD is a very serious condition and people with PTSD rarely get adequate treatment. Similarly, people who are incarcerated have higher rates of mental illnesses. We hope this paper raises awareness of PTSD as a potential difficulty for those incarcerated AND those for who are transitioning to the community. We hope this can be used to craft future policy to increase access to treatment.

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