NCJ Number
104172
Journal
Journal of Offender Counseling, Services and Rehabilitation Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: (Fall-Winter 1986) Pages: 19-37
Date Published
1986
Length
19 pages
Annotation
In order to examine the feasibility of community-based care for mentally ill offenders and defendants, a key informant survey was completed by criminal justice professionals (n=36), mental health and forensic professionals (n=38) and a variety of social service agency representatives (n=21).
Abstract
The respondents represented the major groups of providers of service likely to deal with mentally ill offenders and defendants in the Greater Miami, Florida, area. Findings indicate that mentally ill offenders and defendants are seen as manageable in the community, but needing high degrees of structure, security, and control. Thus, closely supervised residential care was emphasized. Because of the complex interface between the criminal justice system and the mental health/psychiatric system, staff working with 'forensic' clients need to be specialized and well trained, according to respondents. Generally, the concept of community based care for this client group is regarded positively, given the limitations of jails, prisons, and mental hospitals to deal with their needs. (Author abstract)