Community-Based Alternatives for Justice-Involved Individuals with Severe Mental Illness: Diversion, Problem-Solving Courts, and Reentry

• NCJ Number: 242024
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 41 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2013 Pages: 64-71
• Author(s): David DeMatteo; Casey LaDuke; Benjamin R. Locklair; Kirk Heilbrun
• Date Published: April 2013
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands

Annotation

This article discusses community-based alternatives to standard prosecution for adults with severe mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system.

Abstract

Previous research has shown that adults with severe mental illness are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, and that the standard format for prosecution has not resulted in improved outcomes for these individuals. The purpose of this article is to examine three community-based alternatives to standard prosecutions that have been shown to offer improved outcomes for justice-involved adults with severe mental illness. The three practices discussed in the article are diversion, problem-solving courts, and reentry into the community. Following an overview of several factors that led to the development of community-based alternatives to standard prosecution, the article presents a detailed discussion of the three practices identified by the authors. The detailed discussion includes details on how each practice acts as an alternative to the standard criminal justice prosecution model, as well as a set of recommendations for developing, implementing, and refining these programs. Recommendations for future research are also discussed. Figure and references