Reducing Recidivism and Pathways to Success
01 Jan 2018-pp 183-227
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on assessing the efficacy of MHCs using quantitative and qualitative data, focusing first on criminal recidivism, and then describe reductions in criminal behavior post court-exit using administrative court data.
Abstract: This chapter focuses on assessing the efficacy of MHCs using quantitative and qualitative data. Focusing first on criminal recidivism, the chapter describes reductions in criminal behavior post court-exit using administrative court data. Incentives at opt-in, mental health treatment usage, and completing MHC are associated with reductions in the likelihood of new crimes after exiting from one MHC. Drawing from interviews with MHC team members, the role of incentives, mental health treatment and graduation are explored further. Data illustrate the relationship between benefits offered to clients at entry and rewards throughput the court process and compliance levels with MHC conditions. MHC team members use rituals in order to work toward positive outcomes for MHC clients. The chapter ends with a discussion on how to assess success, calling for a more expansive understanding.
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01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: This paper used a mixed-method approach to examine focal concerns in a mental health court (MHC) and found that gender and length of time in court influence the court's contextualization of noncompliance.
Abstract: Sociologists have long-raised concern about disparate treatment in the justice system. Focal concerns have become the dominant perspective in explaining these disparities in legal processing decisions. Despite the growth of problem-solving courts, little research has examined how this perspective operates in nontraditional court settings. This article used a mixed-method approach to examine focal concerns in a mental health court (MHC).
Observational findings indicate that gender and length of time in court influence the court's contextualization of noncompliance. While discussions of race were absent in observational data, competing-risk survival analysis finds that gender and race interact to predict MHC termination.
34 citations
01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: Results suggest that more severe punishments in traditional court are associated with recidivism and the need for future MHC evaluations to consider traditional court outcomes and support trends towards post-adjudication courts.
Abstract: Mental health court (MHC) research consistently finds that defendants who successfully complete and graduate from the court are less likely to recidivate than those who do not. However, research has not assessed what happens to these noncompleters once they are sent back to traditional court. Using follow-up data on six years of noncompleters from pre-adjudication MHC, we examine what happens to these defendants in traditional court. Findings suggest that 63.7% of defendants' charges were dismissed, 21.0% received probation, and 15.3% were sentenced to incarceration. We examine the time to disposition and differences in defendant characteristics and disposition outcome as well as the relationship between disposition and subsequent recidivism. Results suggest that more severe punishments in traditional court are associated with recidivism. Logistic regression analysis shows that defendants whose charges were dismissed in traditional court were less likely to recidivate than those who were sentenced to probation or incarceration. Our findings highlight the need for future MHC evaluations to consider traditional court outcomes and support trends towards post-adjudication courts. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Book•
01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: The family model of the criminal process: reintegrative shaming as discussed by the authors is a theory of white-collar crime that is based on the theory of the family model and the social conditions conducive to reintegration.
Abstract: Preface 1. Whither criminological theory? 2. The dominant theoretical traditions: labeling, subcultural, control, opportunity and learning theories 3. Facts a theory of crime ought to fit 4. The family model of the criminal process: reintegrative shaming 5. Why and how does shaming work? 6. Social conditions conducive to reintegrative shaming 7. Summary of the theory 8. Testing the theory 9. Reintegrative shaming and white collar crime 10. Shaming and the good society References Index.
3,169 citations
TL;DR: Americans report greater concern with individuals who have drug or alcohol problems than with persons who have other mental health problems, and evaluations of dangerousness and coercion indicate a continuing need for public education.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The authors examined Americans' opinions about financial and treatment competence of people with mental health problems, potential for harm to self or others, and the use of legal means to force treatment. METHODS: The 1996 General Social Survey provided interview data with a nationally representative sample (n = 1444). Respondents were given a vignette based on diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, major depression, alcohol dependence, or drug dependence, or a "control" case. RESULTS: The specific nature of the problem was the most important factor shaping public reaction. Respondents viewed those with "troubles," alcohol dependence, or depression as able to make treatment decisions. Most reported that persons with alcohol or drug problems or schizophrenia cannot manage money and are likely to be violent toward others. Respondents indicated a willingness to coerce individuals into treatment. Respondent and other case characteristics rarely affected opinions. CONCLUSIONS: Americans report gre...
562 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that participation in the mental health court program was associated with longer time without any new criminal charges or new charges for violent crimes and maintenance of reductions in recidivism and violence after graduates were no longer under supervision of themental health court.
Abstract: Objective: In response to the large-scale involvement of people with mental disorders in the criminal justice system, many communities have created specialized mental health courts in recent years. However, little research has been done to evaluate the criminal justice outcomes of such courts. This study evaluated whether a mental health court can reduce the risk of recidivism and violence by people with mental disorders who have been arrested. Method: A retrospective observational design was used to compare the occurrence of new criminal charges for 170 people who entered a mental health court after arrest and 8,067 other adults with mental disorders who were booked into an urban county jail after arrest during the same interval. A matching strategy based on propensity scores was used to adjust analyses for nonrandom selection into mental health court. Results: Propensity-weighted Cox regression analysis, controlling for other potential confounding variables (demographic characteristics, clinical variables, and criminal history), showed that participation in the mental health court program was associated with longer time without any new criminal charges or new charges for violent crimes. Successful completion of the mental health court program was associated with maintenance of reductions in recidivism and violence after graduates were no longer under supervision of the mental health court. Conclusions: The results indicate that a mental health court can reduce recidivism and violence by people with mental disorders who are involved in the criminal justice system.
337 citations
TL;DR: While there were offenders for whom neither treatment was effective, a majority in both groups decreased jail days and improved psychosocial functioning, with MHTC participants demonstrating greater gains in most areas.
Abstract: Without active engagement, many adults with serious mental illnesses remain untreated in the community and commit criminal offenses, resulting in their placement in the jails rather than mental health facilities. A mental health treatment court (MHTC) with an assertive community treatment (ACT) model of case management was developed through the cooperative efforts of the criminal justice and mental health systems. Participants were 235 adults with a serious mental illness who were booked into the county jail, and who volunteered for the study. An experimental design was used, with participants randomly assigned to MHTC or treatment as usual (TAU), consisting of adversarial criminal processing and less intensive mental health treatment. Results were reported for 6 and 12 month follow-up periods. Clients in both conditions improved in life satisfaction, distress, and independent living, while participants in the MHTC also showed reductions in substance abuse and new criminal activity. Outcomes are interpreted within the context of changes brought about in the community subsequent to implementation of the MHTC.
275 citations
TL;DR: Multivariate models support the prediction that mental health courts reduce the number of new arrests and the severity of such re-arrests among mentally ill offenders.
Abstract: Mental health courts have been proliferating across the country since their estab- lishment in the late 1990's. Although numerous advocates have proclaimed their merit, only few empirical studies have evaluated their outcomes. This paper evaluates the effect of one mental health court on criminal justice outcomes by examining arrests and offense severity from one year before to one year after entry into the court, and by comparing mental health court participants to comparable traditional criminal court defendants on these measures. Multivariate models support the prediction that mental health courts reduce the number of new arrests and the severity of such re-arrests among mentally ill offenders. Similar analysis of mental health court completers and non-completers supports the prediction that a "full dose" of mental health treatment and court monitoring produce even fewer re-arrests.
233 citations