Design Matters: Addressing Mental Health in America’s Correctional Facilities

Imagine living in a space where fluorescent lights never dim, noise echoes day and night, and privacy does not exist. For many incarcerated individuals, this is daily reality. But most of these facilities—originally designed with punishment in mind—are now housing a vastly different population than they once held. Over the past few decades, an increasing number of individuals with psychiatric and substance use disorders have been funneled into correctional settings, largely due to deinstitutionalization, underfunded community mental health services, and shifting legal practices. These environmental stressors are not only harmful but often catastrophic for those with serious mental illness. This article explores the role of environmental psychology in creating more humane, rehabilitative correctional spaces, highlighting how design can mitigate suffering and promote better outcomes for those living and working inside.

The Scope of the Problem

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the U.S. Department of Justice, 37% of individuals in U.S. prisons and 44% of individuals in local jails have a diagnosed mental illness. Further studies reveal that 65% of individuals in jail meet criteria for a substance use disorder, and upwards of 80% are under the influence at the time of their arrest. Bipolar disorder affects an estimated 25% of individuals in jails, compared to about 2.8% of the general U.S. adult population. Schizophrenia impacts approximately 12% of jail populations, versus about 1% in the general public (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). 

Unfortunately, providing mental health services in jails and prisons presents a unique set of challenges. Correctional staff and clinicians must manage both individuals who are extremely dangerous and those in urgent need of psychiatric care, and sometimes both at the same time. Balancing safety with compassion under stressful conditions and limited resources is no easy task. Identifying mental health needs may be relatively straightforward; finding effective solutions in this environment is far more complex. 

The physical designs of prisons built centuries ago are now overcrowded, sterile spaces with limited access to natural light, color, or texture. These design choices – focused on punishment and saving tax dollars – exacerbate feelings of confinement and hopelessness among incarcerated individuals. Research tells us that the constant presence of noise, combined with a lack of privacy and personal autonomy, further heightens stress and anxiety for even the healthiest of individuals. 

Environmental psychology examines how physical environments affect psychological well-being. In correctional settings, it reveals how design can either amplify stress or support healing. Research shows that positive environmental cues—such as natural light, autonomy, and exposure to nature—reduce stress and promote resilience, while negative conditions exacerbate aggression, anxiety, and depression. For justice architects, this means every design choice, from sightlines to ceiling height, becomes a lever for either harm or healing. 

Practical Solutions for Improving Correctional Facility Design

1. Lighting
   Exposure to natural light has a calming effect and can reduce anxiety. Incarcerated individuals with access to natural light often experience improved sleep patterns, which are vital for mental health. Providing individuals with some control over the lighting in their cells—such as the ability to adjust intensity or color temperature—can promote a sense of autonomy and reduce helplessness.
2. Noise Control
   Uncontrollable, unpredictable noise contributes to sleep deprivation, increased blood pressure, and heightened aggression. To mitigate these effects, prison architects can incorporate sound-absorbing materials such as acoustic panels and flooring and provide access to noise-canceling headphones or sound machines. These adjustments reduce stressors that otherwise accelerate mental health deterioration.
3. Nature and Biophilic Design
   Nature-based interventions, such as incorporating elements of natural environments into prison design, have been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and promote resilience. Window views, murals, greenery, water features, and open spaces all have calming effects, leading to lower rates of self-harm and violence. 
4. Personalization and Autonomy
   Allowing incarcerated individuals to personalize their living spaces—through photographs, art, or personal belongings—can foster a sense of ownership and emotional stability. Even small opportunities to make choices about their environment help create a sense of control, increase compliance with institutional rules, and mitigate destruction of property.
5. Privacy and Humane Treatment
   Privacy is essential for maintaining dignity and emotional well-being. Providing spaces for personal reflection, sensory relief, and restored autonomy helps reduce psychological distress. 

Supporting Correctional Staff
Mental health support for correctional staff is equally important. Managing populations with high rates of mental illness and substance use creates significant stress that can lead to burnout and reduced crisis management capacity. While large-scale overhauls may not be feasible everywhere, administrators and clinicians can identify gaps and advocate for improvements that directly affect the well-being of staff and incarcerated individuals. Reflection on design ensures facilities consider not just security, but also how the environments support psychological stability and wellness for those who work and live inside.

Conclusion

Environmental psychology provides a framework for understanding how the physical and sensory aspects of correctional facilities can impact mental health. By redesigning prisons with a focus on improving lighting, reducing noise, incorporating nature, and fostering personalization and autonomy, we can create spaces that are not only more humane, but also more conducive to wellness and rehabilitation. It is essential to move away from punitive designs and toward rehabilitative, trauma-informed environments.

Justice design has the power to either perpetuate hopelessness or foster rehabilitation. Every corridor, sightline, and material choice carries psychological weight. By embracing trauma-informed, rehabilitative design, correctional facilities can protect staff, preserve dignity, and promote healing. The choice is ours.

Dr. Deanna Dwenger, PsyD, HSPP, is Chief Behavioral Health Advisor for Elevatus Architecture.

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Mental health in the criminal justice system: What to expect when an individual is arrested or incarcerated. Retrieved from http://www.SMIAdviser.org
2. Brophy, L., Oostermeijer, S., Minshall, C., Harvey, C., Hamilton, B., Roper, C., Martel, A., Fletcher, J. (2022). Designing mental health facilities that prevent the use of seclusion and restraint. An evidence check rapid review brokered by The Sax Institute for the NSW Ministry of Health.
3. Card, A., Taylor, E., & Piatkowski, M. (2018). Design for behavioral and mental health: More than just safety. The Center for Health Design.
4. Dvoskin, J.A., & Spiers, E.M. (2004). On the role of correctional officers in prison mental health. Psychiatric Quarterly, 75(1), 41-59.
5. Dvoskin, J.A., Radomski, M., & Cusick, C.P. (2017). Improving mental health care in the criminal justice system. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 23(2), 161-175. 6. Samuelson, M., Finkelstein, A., & Nadler, P. (2020). Correctional facilities and the prison health crisis: Implications for mental health treatment. New York Journal of Health and Law Policy.

Editor’s Note: The AI-generated image shows an example of how natural light and elements can impact a space. It is not from a specific justice project by Elevatus or any design firm.