They are not going to respond to yelling and/being handled roughly in a good way. If they are having an episode, it is much like handling a child when throwing a tantrum, it is necessary to be calm and compassionate. There is an understanding that some inmates are noncompliant and when that happens, sometimes force is necessary. .
Another issue with policy is punishment versus treatment. This kind of ties into knowing how to handle someone who is mentally ill but also knowing what proper care is necessary. It is important to be able to determine if they need to be punished for what they did wrong or if they need some modification to their treatment or even need to start treatment. However, determining who needs what treatment should be done by a licensed mental health professional. This would mean the prisons had to have a licensed mental health professional on staff and that is something that many prisons are lacking. The reason behind this is budgeting and not thinking it is necessary to pay to have one on staff, in my opinion. .
This brings me to my next point, which is the impact on the economic side of having so many mentally ill in prisons. One of the biggest issues is how expensive it is for medication and treatment. Although it is necessary for inmates to be on their medication and be receiving positive, helpful treatment, it is not easy on the budget. According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mentall Illness), only six out of ten inmates will receive treatment while incarcerated (Spending Money in all the Wrong Places - Jails and Prison). While that might not seem like a lot, think about the statistic above that 500,000 mentally ill are inmates in prisons. Over half of those inmates are being treated for a mental illness will incarcerated. According to USA Today, the United States spent $36.5 million on psychotropic drugs to treat offenders in prison in the last four years (Johnson, K).