Public Policy Issues in the Delivery of Mental Health Services in a Jail Setting (From American Jails: Public Policy Issues, P 100-115, 1991, Joel A Thompson and G Larry Mays, eds. - - See NCJ-165482)

• NCJ Number: 165488
• Author(s): J M Jerrell; R Komisaruk
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: Nelson-Hall Publishers
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter reviews some of the major public policy issues associated with the overlap between mental health and criminal justice populations and describes the mental health services that have evolved in Santa Clara County Jail (California).

Abstract

This study was designed to address six policy concerns. One is the description of the number and types of clients being screened following referral to the mental health unit in terms of their psychiatric symptoms and the need for specialized, intensive mental health care. A second policy concern is the comparison of the need for service rates among these inmates with the general population rates for Santa Clara County obtained in a series of previous studies. A third concern is to determine whether referrals for mental health crisis assessments from custody staff were appropriate. The study also addressed whether the inmates screened were being assigned to an appropriate service level based on the interviews. A fifth study goal was to identify client subgroups with similar patterns of problems among those screened and either accepted or rejected for mental health services, so as to better assess the service level required compared to the current service level provided. Finally, the study aimed to determine the prevalence of the "mercy booking" phenomenon. The latter phenomenon refers to the extent to which psychiatric patients are becoming increasingly a part of the criminal justice system. The findings of this study show that the percentage of inmates referred for mental health services inside the jail is about the same as the percentage for the general population. Front-line custody staff are making appropriate referrals, and mental health staff who perform inmates' initial assessment are screening properly, as confirmed by follow-up interviews by professional staff. Further, inmates are receiving a level of care appropriate to their needs, and sheriffs' deputies are not using the jail for "mercy bookings." Still, both custody and mental health officials should assess the extent to which severely psychiatrically impaired inmates could benefit from diversion programs during their incarceration, so as to minimize their lengths of stay in the custody mental health units.