“They Just Kind of Leave You to Suffer”: Examining Barriers and Facilitators to Healing Among Persons With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Incarcerated in Jails

Abstract

Given the criminalization of mental illness in the United States today, persons with mental health diagnoses, particularly those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are disproportionately involved in the criminal legal system. Despite higher rates of PTSD in jails compared with other correctional settings, research on the lived experiences of individuals with PTSD incarcerated in jails is limited. Using a phenomenological approach, this study examined individuals with PTSD who were formerly incarcerated in jail, focusing on how jail incarceration may impact the healing process. Findings from this study highlight both barriers and facilitators to healing, providing a deeper understanding of how to better support the healing process for individuals with PTSD and underscoring the need for trauma-informed interventions and policies in jails.

Keywords

jails PTSD trauma phenomenology qualitative methods

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