NCJ Number
38430
Journal
American Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 133 Issue: 12 Dated: (DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 1439-1444
Date Published
1976
Length
6 pages
Annotation
INFORMATION ON THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, CRIMINAL HISTORY, PSYCHIATRIC HISTORY, AND PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS OF 122 JAIL INMATES WAS EXAMINED TO ESTIMATE THE RATE OF PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY IN THE KING COUNTY (WA) JAIL.
Abstract
THIS STUDY UTILIZED EXPLICIT DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA THAT HAVE BEEN USED WITH OTHER OFFENDER POPULATIONS, MAKING LIMITED COMPARISONS POSSIBLE. THE DATA WERE COMPILED DURING A FIVE-MONTH SURVEY FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1973, THROUGH JANUARY 31, 1974. THE 122 SUBJECTS WERE DRAWN FROM 200 REFERRALS TO THE KING COUNTY JAIL PSYCHIATRIST. THE STUDY RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE ESTIMATED OVERALL RATE OF PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS WAS 4.6 PERCENT. THE PATIENT SAMPLE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY OLDER AND CONTAINED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MINORITY GROUP MEN THAN THE JAIL POPULATION AS A WHOLE. THIRTY-SIX PERCENT OF THE PATIENTS DIAGNOSED AS SCHIZOPHRENIC WERE ARRESTED ON MISDEMEANOR CHARGES. DRUG DEPENDENCY WAS DIAGNOSED IN 51 PERCENT OF THE MEN BUT IN ONLY 15 PERCENT OF THE WOMEN. THE RESULTS ALSO SHOWED THAT PSYCHOSIS WAS DIAGNOSED MORE FREQUENTLY AND ALCOHOLISM, ANXIETY NEUROSIS, AND ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY LESS FREQUENTLY THAN IN STUDIES OF PRISON POPULATIONS USING SIMILAR DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)