Case management helps prevent criminal justice recidivism for people with serious mental illness

• Published date: 11 September 2017
• Pages: 168-172
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-06-2016-0021
• Date: 11 September 2017
• Author: Heather Leutwyler,Erin Hubbard,Elaine Zahnd
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Prisoner health,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice

Case management helps prevent criminal

justice recidivism for people with serious

mental illness

Heather Leutwyler, Erin Hubbard and Elaine Zahnd

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to discuss how case management can decrease recidivism

for people with serious mental illness (SMI) because people with SMI are at high risk for incarceration

and recidivism.

Design/methodology/approach –Examples of successful case management models for formerly

incarcerated individuals with SMI found through a secondary analysis of qualitative data and an analysis of the

literature are presented.

Findings –Currently, no international, national, or statewide guidelines exist to ensure that formerly

incarcerated individuals with SMI receive case management upon community reentry despite evidence that

such services can prevent further criminal justice involvement. Recommendations include establishment of

and evaluation of best practices for case management. In addition, the authors recommend additional

funding for case management with the goal of greatly increasing the number of individuals with SMI leaving

the criminal justice system in their ability to access adequate case management.

Originality/value –Providing effective case management tailored to the needs of formerly incarcerated

people with SMI improves their quality of life and reduces their involvement in the criminal justice system with

clear positive outcomes for public safety and public health.

Keywords Criminal justice system, Health policy, Health promotion, Mental health, Forensic psychiatry,

Mental illness

Paper type Research paper

Background

One in seven prisoners in western countries is estimated to have a serious mental illness (SMI)

(Fazel and Danesh, 2002). In 2014, 45 percent of state prison inmates in the USA had been

treated for SMI, which the Department of Corrections defines as an illness, disease, or condition

that substantially impairs the person’s thoughts, perception of reality, emotional process or

judgment; or which grossly impairs behavior. Researchers estimate a range of 28 to 52 percent

of those with SMI in the USA have been arrested at least once (Fontanarosa et al., 2013). In a

Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, it was determined that 56 percent of state prisoners,

45 percent of federal prisoners, and 63 percent of those in local jails experienced a mental health

problem ( James and Glaze, 2004). Upon release from jail or prison, all prisoners struggle to meet

basic needs that are essential to successful community reentry, such as housing, healthcare,

and employment. Among those with SMI, such challenges are often compounded due to their

mental health status.

In the community,case managers play a critical role in the careof people with SMI by coordinating

mental health services with healthcare, housing, transportation,employment, social relationships,

and community participation. These are essential components for successful community reentry

and integral in managing mental health symptoms. Case managers are often the first, and

sometimesthe only, providers to notice when a patient with SMIstarts to deteriorate, experiencing

Received 21 June 2016

Revised 18 November 2016

29 March 2017

Accepted 17 May 2017

No Disclosures to report

Funding source: this work was

supported by a grant from the UC

Office of the President. The

content is solely the responsibility

of the authors and does not

necessarily represent the opinions

or policies of the Office of the

President.

Heather Leutwyler is an

Associate Professor and

Erin Hubbard is a Research

Study Coordinator, both at the

Department of Physiological

Nursing, University of California,

San Francisco,

San Francisco, California, USA.

Elaine Zahnd is an Independent

Consultant at the Center for

Health Policy Research,

University of California, Los

Angeles, Los Angeles

California, USA.

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VOL. 13 NO. 3/4 2017, pp. 168-172, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1744-9200 DOI 10.1108/IJPH-06-2016-0021