DETECTING DISORDER: THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG JAIL DETAINEES

• NCJ Number: 145714
• Journal: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 58 Issue: 2 Dated: (1990) Pages: 233-236
• Author(s): L A Teplin
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 4 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH37988
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The extent to which mentally ill jail inmates are treated was investigated.

Abstract

Results from a 1983-1984 study of 728 male inmates in the Cook County (IL) Department of Corrections (CCDC), showed that false negative diagnoses of mental illness occurred far more frequently (62.5 percent) than false positive ones (4.6 percent). Only 32.5 percent of inmates who met the criteria for severe mental illness had been identified as such. Analysis revealed that treatment decisions were heavily influenced by treatment history, type of mental disorder, type of crime, and whether symptoms had been documented by jail intake personnel. Among inmates with a known treatment history, 91.7 percent were identified, including 45 percent of schizophrenics and only 7.1 percent of those with pure major depression. As CCDC, unlike many jails, routinely screens inmates for mental disorder, these detection rates are probably relatively high. 22 references