Transtornos mentais, uso abusivo de drogas e encarceramento na população prisional do Estado de Minas Gerais

Abstract

This study analyzed the structural challenges and mental health management in the prison system of Minas Gerais, focusing on dual disorders (the coexistence of mental disorders and substance abuse in incarcerated individuals – IPLs). The institutional qualitative approach served to map administrative and operational failures, confirming gaps in screening and diagnosis. Data revealed massive underreporting (only 231 formal diagnoses of DD among 65,738 IPLs, contrasting with over 6,000 reports of substance use in 2022). These failures are caused by data fragmentation, the scarcity of psychiatrists, and the structural limitation of conventional diagnostic methods. Insufficient infrastructure and precarious psychosocial support, despite normative advancements (PNAISP and RAPS), perpetuate vulnerability and high recidivism rates. Given the revealed diagnostic crisis, neuroscience emerges as an essential public policy strategy, proposing the use of functional neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments for precise diagnoses and individualized treatments. The study concludes that overcoming these barriers requires the integration between health and justice, the strengthening of policies, and professional training in order to ensure effective neuropsychological rehabilitation and social reintegration.