Reentry and Mental Health
The incidence of serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, is two to four times higher among prisoners than it is among those in the general population.1 In addition, corrections administrators often operate crowded prisons and jails without the resources to ensure the availability of comprehensive mental health treatment and appropriate medications. Inmates with a mental illness who leave prison or jail are typically provided with just a short (two weeks or less) supply of medications. Without housing, linkage to a community-based mental health treatment program, or other much needed services, these individuals often experience poor mental health outcomes once released back into the community.
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Justice Center Work
As part of its Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project, the Justice Center is working in a number of local jurisdictions to document innovative approaches which address the needs of individuals with mental illnesses under corrections supervision. The Justice Center has also developed an assessment tool which examines the level of collaboration between the mental health and criminal justice systems. In addition, the Justice Center is coordinating a project to help policymakers ensure that eligible individuals with serious mental illnesses are enrolled in benefit programs such as SSI/SSDI and Medicaid upon release from jail or prison. |
In the Report
The Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council is a comprehensive guide for policymakers and practitioners interested in addressing the challenges people face when they are released from prisons and jails.
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Reentry in Action
A number of criminal justice and mental health organizations and agencies have developed programs and initiatives to respond to individuals with mental illnesses involved in the criminal justice system. As part of its Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project, the Justice Center coordinates the Criminal Justice/Mental Health Information Network (InfoNet), an online database that provides examples of collaborative criminal justice/mental health activity, including some examples of corrections-based programs, and corrections-related media and research from across the country. |
Additional Resources
Check out relevant news clips, publications, legislation, and websites. Most recent additions: 9/19/2009: Steubenville Herald-Star (OH): Program will help offenders find work 9/7/2009: Denver Post (CO): Drug aid program benefits mentally ill prisoners |
1 Theodore M. Hammett, Cheryl Roberts, and Sofia Kennedy, "Health-Related Issues in Prisoner Reentry," Crime & Delinquency 47, no. 3 (2002): 390-409.