There is an urgent need for psychiatric services for mentally ill
inmates in local jails. The authors recommend that a psychiatric team be
established inside the jail to provide short-term crisis evaluation,
disposition, and treatment; that special training be provided for jail
booking personnel in the recognition of psychiatric problems during the
initial jail screening and classification process; that special modules be
developed for mentally ill inmates; and that inmates in need of
hospitalization have easy access to hospital beds. They describe a
psychiatric ward actually located within a county jail to treat mentally
ill inmates who are considered security risks.Abstract Teaser