NCJ Number
124100
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: (June 1990) Pages: 88,90,92
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A specialized, voluntary treatment program for chronic, mentally ill, male inmates at Central Prison in Raleigh (North Carolina) helps prepare them for life in the community.
Abstract
The Life Skills Transitional Program (LSTP) is designed for inmates who are within six months to a year of release. Those with schizophrenic or major affective disorders are eligible, as are those who are grossly mentally ill, dangerous, and difficult to manage. From March 1, 1985 to October 1, 1988, of 132 patients interviewed for LSTP, 16 decided not to attend and 32 later dropped out. LSTP patients are transferred to a self-contained, 24-bed ward where they stay an average of 5.2 months until their release. Patients attend class Monday through Friday for three hours and attend supervised recreation for one hour each day. They also meet regularly with treatment staff for evaluation, goal setting, and aftercare planning. Classes are held on basic living skills such as budgeting, shopping, cooking, and personal hygiene. Patients also learn about chemotherapy and medication and participate in individual and group psychotherapy. A case worker helps determine their social security disability status, and LSTP helps them to find suitable living arrangements before their release. Of the patients who completed the program, 58 percent successfully adjusted to the community after release, 15 percent returned to prison within three years, 13 percent were committed to State mental hospitals, 4 percent were paroled to Federal sentences, and 9 percent could not be located. 5 references.