Jail Diversion A Step Along the Path to Mental

							Jail Diversion: A Step Along the
Path to Mental Health Reform




  Lincoln, NE
  January 23, 2006
                A. Kathryn Power, M.Ed., Director
                Center for Mental Health Services
                ·
                     U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
                     Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
                     Center for Mental Health Services
                     www.samhsa.gov
Jail diversion is―

  A structured and well-monitored
  program designed to reduce
  incarceration and recidivism among
  individuals with mental illnesses by
  promoting their recovery and by linking
  them to the mental health services and
  supports that might have prevented their
  arrest in the first place.


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The percentage of individuals with
mental illnesses in our jails and
prisons is large…and growing.
    At any given time, up to 16 percent (or
     250,000) adults in justice facilities will
     have a mental illness.
    Approximately 20 percent of youth in
     the juvenile justice system have serious
     mental health problems.




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Jails and prisons never were
intended to serve as psychiatric
institutions.
            The purposes of
            incarceration are
             Punishment,

             Deterrence, and

             Rehabilitation,

            in that order.



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The United States strives to be a
just society.
 But―
  Police officers may be almost twice as

   likely to arrest someone who appears to
   have a mental illness as someone who
   doesn’t―for the same offense.
  In court, persons with a mental illness

      Are more likely to be remanded
       without the opportunity to post bail
      Receive stiffer sentences.


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Results From SAMHSA’s Multi-
State Knowledge Development and
Application Program
 Persons who entered jail diversion
 programs―
  Spent more time in the community and

   not in the hospital or incarcerated.
  Received significantly more mental

   health treatment.
  Were no more likely to be rearrested

   during the followup year than persons
   who were not diverted.

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Preliminary Results From the
Lancaster County, NE,
Jail Diversion Program
    Lower recidivism
    Decreased use of costly emergency
     services
    Increased use of less-costly ongoing
     services
    Improvement in participants’ attitudes
     and symptoms:
        Greater ability to control their lives and to deal
         with crisis
        Less depression and loneliness.
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Recidivism and Mental Illness in
Nebraska

                  55%―         45%―
                  Offenses     Offenses
                  committed    committed
                  by persons   by persons
                  with a       without a
                  probable     mental
                  mental       illness
                  illness




       Offenses Committed by Persons
       Arrested Two or More Times
       (Nov. 2003―Oct. 2005)
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Federal Partners Workgroup
   Department of Health and
                                 Other Federal Partners
       Human Services
                              Department of Agriculture
    AoA       NIH/NIDA
                              Department of Defense
    ACF       NIH/NIMH        Department of Education
                              Department of Housing and
   AHRQ        OS/ASPE
                              Urban Development
    CDC        OS/OCR         Department of Justice
    CMS         OS/OD         Department of Labor
                              Department of
   HRSA        OS/OPHS
                              Transportation
                              Department of Veterans
    IHS        SAMHSA
                              Affairs
                              Social Security
                              Administration


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Incarceration in Nebraska
 Corrections Statistics            Nebraska                  National
 (per 100,000)                                               Average
 Crime rates (2003)                   4,000                    4,063
  Violent crimes                        289                      475
  Property crimes                      3,711                   3,589
 Corrections population               2,009                    3,042
 (2003)
 Incarceration rate (2004)              227                      433
 Community corrections
  Probationers (2004)                 1,432                    1,862
  Parolees (2003)                        51                      317
 Cost per inmate (2001)              $25,321                  $22,650

                          Source: http://nicic.org/StateCorrectionsStatistics/ne.htm

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“In order to treat some people equally,
we must treat them differently. ”

                      Harry A. Blackmun
                      U.S. Supreme Court Justice
                                     1970-1994




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