Case Management and Recidivism of Mentally Ill Persons Released From Jail

• NCJ Number: 180237
• Journal: Jail Suicide/Mental Health Update Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: Winter 1999 Pages: 13-20
• Author(s): Lois A. Ventura Ph.D.; Charlene A. Cassel Ph.D.; Joseph E. Jacoby Ph.D.; Bu Huang Ph.D.
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study tested the hypothesis that case management provided to mentally ill offenders both in jail and after release from jail would reduce their recidivism.

Abstract

A total of 261 inmates of the Lucas County (Toledo, Ohio) jail who were diagnosed with a mental disorder were tracked for 3 years after their release. The relationships between recidivism and diagnostic, demographic, and case management variables were examined through event history analysis. Community-based case managers help clients follow through with treatment plans, including medication maintenance and access to needed community support services. They also assist clients with a transition to the community mental health center and to the designated psychiatrist and caseworker; they also provide court follow-up as required. A total of 203 subjects (78 percent) received some case management services in jail. The median total amount of services they received was 40 minutes, with two-thirds receiving less than 1 hour and 15 percent receiving more than 2 hours. Case management decreased dramatically after subjects left jail; only 75 subjects (29 percent) received any community case management in the 3 years after release. During the follow-up period, 188 of the 261 subjects (72 percent) were rearrested. The findings show that recidivism was associated with age, employment, previous arrests, and receipt of community-based case management. Receipt of jail-based case management, although not directly related to recidivism, significantly increased the probability of receiving community-based case management. Receipt of community case management was significantly associated with a lower probability of rearrest and a longer period before rearrest. This study thus found hopeful signs that expanding access to case management, both inside and outside jail, will help mentally ill people live in their communities and stay out of jail. 4 tables, 2 figures, and 22 references