Impact of Severe Mental Illness On Parole Decisions: Social Integration Within a Prison Setting

• NCJ Number: 231697
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 37 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2010 Pages: 1005-1029
• Author(s): Jason Matejkowski; Joel M. Caplan; Sara Wiesel Cullen
• Date Published: September 2010
• Length: 25 pages
• Grant Number(s): H133-B03-1109
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined whether indicators of social integration mediate the relationship between severe mental illness and parole decisions.

Abstract

This study examined the extent to which severe mental illness (SMI) affects parole release decisions either directly or indirectly through its association with other factors considered in the parole release decisionmaking process. A random sample of 407 inmates with parole release decisions in 2007 (200 with SMI and 207 without SMI) was selected from the New Jersey State Parole Board. Data on inmates' program participation, misconduct, and job assignments while incarcerated along with levels of community support and other pertinent release factors were collected. Differences between the SMI and non-SMI groups as well as the relationships among study variables, SMI, and release decisions were examined. Findings indicate that persons with SMI were released to parole at a rate similar to that of persons without SMI. However, the presence of SMI was associated with disciplinary infractions while incarcerated, which in turn negatively affected parole release decisions. Policy implications are discussed. Tables and references (Published Abstract)