NCJ Number
70001
Date Published
1974
Length
27 pages
Annotation
The final report is presented for a grant project to develop New Hampshire's institutional mental health services to 'criminally insane' and severely disruptive inmates.
Abstract
The goals of the project, whose 'grant year' extended from June 1, 1972, through October 31, 1973, was to provide 'psychiatric, psychological, social, and biological treatment' to 'criminally insane' and disruptive inmates in the State prison, State hospital, and 10 county houses of correction. A longer-range goal was to determine the necessity for a facility to house the target population. If the facility was found to be necessary, recommendations would be made for location, staff, and programs. During the grant year, an effort was made to evaluate each new inmate arriving at the prison, as well as all inmates referred by the administration. The team members also provided 24-hour service for crisis intervention and were available daily for short-term therapy sessions at the request of inmates or staff. Psychiatrists in the program regularly sent psychiatric reports to the parole department and the work release board upon request. During the year, the project had direct contact with 470 inmates, and the team carried an average of 65 to 75 inmates per month in individual therapy. Extensive research and planning went into the development of group therapy sessions; the project demonstrated the feasibility of this type of treatment. The project also helped to reduce the backlog in inmate physical exams by performing these for 200 inmates. The project assisted in training 25 prison guards, 98 hospital aides, and about 250 police officers in the recognition and handling of mental disturbance. The research component of the program is developing a predictive tool that is expected to assist in the determination of treatment approaches. The building of separate facilities for the target population does not appear necessary at this time. (Author abstract modified)