Many facilities attempt to rehabilitate incarcerated individuals by offering a variety of treatment programs. These programs often involve mental health treatment, substance abuse treatments, and physical wellness programs. When looking at specific programming offerings, facilities in Democratic-led states offered more treatment-based programs than facilities in Republican-led states. The graph below shows the number of specific programs offered within the three main types of treatment types. A facility was considered to offer specific program offerings when there was a specific title given to a program, like “Alcoholics Anonymous”, general program offerings, like “Medical units”, were not included in this count.
As shown, the facilities in Republican-led states offered fewer specific program options. This is important to note because it lacks clarity as to what is actually being offered and therefore whether or not it is rehabilitative. Faribault, a facility in a Democrat-led state, offered 13 mental health programs that included both group and individual therapy, crisis intervention, anger management, sleep, and anxiety treatment among many others. Morgan, a facility in a Republican-led state, offered 4 mental health treatments including evidence-based psychotherapy, cognitive behavior intervention, and a mental health supportive unit. The facility in a Democrat-led state offers a more holistic approach that provides incarcerated individuals with a broader rehabilitation. Republican facilities offered mental health treatments that specifically targeted behaviors and thought patterns, not a wide range of symptoms.
Often, for incarcerated individuals mental health problems and substance abuse go together. Old Colony, a facility in a Democrat-led state offers substance abuse treatment like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and maintenance programs. Morgan, a facility in a Republican-led state, offered only 3 substance abuse programs: substance use group therapy, substance use therapeutic community, and substance use aftercare.
Physical wellness was a final form of treatment that many facilities offered. These programs included medical care, dental care, and physical exercise. Physical health is tied to mental health, so all aspects of an individual’s health must be accounted for. While facilities in Republican-led states did not offer specific physical wellness programs, they did offer general ones. For example, Tecumseh noted having on-site x-rays, dental, and optometry. While facilities in Democrat-led states were more specific about what was being offered. Columbia listed 11 different physical activities available to individuals including soccer, yoga, and basketball.
Despite literature saying that both Democrats and Republicans support rehabilitative programs, these results suggest that they support them differently. Facilities in Deomcrat-led states offered a wider range of treatment programs that target a wider range of incarcerated individuals’ needs. Facilities in Republican-led states offered some treatment programs, but these often were broad and did not target a wide range of needs. This difference is important as it suggests that facilities in Republican-led states are less focused on truly rehabilitating incarcerated individuals.