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Results for mentally ill offenders (iowa)

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Author: Gorton, Joe

Title: Evaluation of the Black Hawk County Mental Health Jail Diversion Programs

Summary: This study presents an evaluation of the First Judicial District Department of Correctional Services mental health jail diversion program. The analysis examines both program efficacy and cost-benefits. The evaluation is based on analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected from probation/parole and jail records of 482 offenders who participated in the program from 2007 through 2011. Qualitative data was derived from in-depth interviews of criminal justice officials and social service providers who are directly involved with the program. - Two-thirds of the inmates diverted into the mental health program were white males most of whom were younger than 30 years old. Women were under represented in the study population, however, they were significantly more likely to be placed in the diversion program. - For two-thirds of the diverted sample, the primary mental health diagnoses was a mood disorder (e.g., bi-polar, depressive, anxiety, etc.). Approximately one-fourth of the sample had a primary diagnoses of psychotic disorder. Schizophrenia, paranoid type was the most common psychotic condition. - Based on their LSI-R scores, 67.6 percent most of the diverted inmates were either a medium-high risk or high risk. For non-diverted inmates 61.9 percent were either medium-high risk or high risk. - Inmates with psychotic disorders were more likely to be diverted than offenders with less severe mental health problems. - Comparisons of arrest data for two years prior to being booked into jail and for two years of post-diversion indicate that the diversion program helps to reduce the likelihood of criminal recidivism. - Diverted inmates with a primary diagnosis of a psychotic disorder were significantly less likely to be arrested than diverted inmates who did not have a psychotic disorder. - The totality of quantitative findings indicate that Black Hawk County's mental health diversion program is effective at reducing criminal recidivism among mentally ill inmates - We estimate that diverted inmates served 15 fewer days in jail than non-diverted inmates. - The total estimate for annual cost savings produced by the mental health jail diversion program is $237,509. The annual net fiscal benefit of the program (without cost estimates for prosecutions, prison confinement , and taxpayer funded victimization programs) is estimated at $137,509.

Details: Cedar Falls, IA: University of Northern Iowa, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, 2014. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2014 at: http://firstdcs.com/reports/2014.BHC%20MH%20Jail%20Diversion%20Program.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://firstdcs.com/reports/2014.BHC%20MH%20Jail%20Diversion%20Program.pdf

Shelf Number: 133460

Keywords:
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Diversion Programs
Jails
Mental Health Programs
Mentally Ill Offenders (Iowa)