Mentally Ill Persons in Corrections - NIC Resources

Effective Prison Mental Health Services: Guidelines to Expand and Improve Treatment

"[H]istorical , legal, and ethical issues relevant to dealing with mental illness in the field of corrections" are discussed (p. iii). Chapters include: introduction; screening and assessment; mental health and substance abuse treatment; use of seclusion, segregation, and restraints; suicide prevention; treating women offenders; psychopharmacological intervention for psychiatric disorders; transitional services; treatment of special populations (e.g., persons with mental retardation or developmental disability, violent offenders, sex offenders, and older adults); and profiles of three states (Maryland, Oregon, and Texas).

Improving Outcomes for People with Mental Illnesses Under Community Corrections Supervision: A Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice

“This guide is organized around policymakers’ common questions about people with mental illnesses under community corrections supervision and the type and effectiveness of strategies designed to respond to this population” (p.3). 

Sections include: 

• executive summary; 
• introduction; 
• the extent and nature of the problem; 
• strategies to improve outcomes for people with mental illnesses under community corrections supervision; 
• future research questions and implications for policy and practice; and conclusion.

The Mentally Ill in Jail: Whose Problem Is It Anyway? [Satellite/Internet Broadcast]

This 3-hour program, originally broadcast July 15, 2009, provides an overview of opportunities that can help your organization prepare to work with persons suffering from mental illness in jails. Mental health issues in the criminal justice system are a community wide problem, and corrections stakeholders, including government officials and corrections personnel, all have a role in identifying creative programs and solutions that tackle the problem at its core. This broadcast investigates the scope of the problem and propose creative solutions...

Crisis Intervention Teams: An Effective Response to Mental Illness in Corrections [Satellite/Internet Broadcast]

Our nation’s jails, prisons, and community corrections agencies are confronted daily with substantial numbers of persons with mental illness in custody and under supervision. Mental illness in corrections demands an urgency of response, services, and care. Correctional staff have attempted to manage individuals suffering mental illness with varying degrees of success. In searching for meaningful methods of response, some agencies, in partnership with stakeholder communities, have implemented Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs).

CITs have matured from a law enforcement first responder...

Adults with Behavioral Health Needs Under Correctional Supervision: A Shared Framework for Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Recovery

“This white paper presents a shared framework for reducing recidivism and behavioral health problems among individuals under correctional control or supervision-that is, for individuals in correctional facilities or who are on probation or parole. The paper is written for policymakers, administrators, and practitioners committed to making the most effective use of scarce resources to improve outcomes for individuals with behavioral health problems who are involved in the corrections system. It is meant to provide a common structure for corrections and...