Publisher's Synopsis
This is a non-academic how-to manual on practicing psychiatry in jails. You already know how to do psychiatry. This is about doing it in jails. Why practice psychiatry in jails? Aren't jails dangerous places? Aren't jails part of the immoral apparatus our society uses to oppress the poor? Why contribute to the oppression? Actually, properly done, jails are the safest place to practice. Our jails are crowded. They are full of people waiting for court. They are also full of mentally ill people. If you are committed to treating psychiatrically disturbed individuals, where can you make more of a difference than in a jail? What follows is a brief overview on practicing psychiatry in jails, not prisons. It is not a cookbook, however. There is much discretion involved. You need to know your business as a prescriber. You have to know how to diagnose and treat mental and physical illness before you can help anyone in a jail. This book will help you adapt to the jail environment.
