Structured Assessment of Correctional Adaptation (SACA): A Measure of the Impact of Incarceration on the Mentally Ill in a Therapeutic Setting

• NCJ Number: 216104
• Journal: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 50 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 570-581
• Author(s): W. Amory Carr; Merrill Rotter; Michael Steinbacher; Debbie Green; Tia Dole; Alexandra Garcia-Mansilla; Sarah Goldberg; Barry Rosenfeld
• Date Published: October 2006
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study assessed the reliability and concurrent validity of the Structured Assessment of Correctional Adaptation (SACA) as a measure of the impact of incarceration on the mentally ill in a therapeutic setting.

Abstract

The results provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the Structured Assessment of Correctional Adaptation (SACA), a clinician-rated measure of adaptation to correctional settings. Reliability analyses showed adequate reliability and internal consistency for the scale total score. Clinicians have observed that psychiatric patients with correctional histories evidence attitudes and behaviors that seem adaptive in penal environments but are maladaptive in mental health settings. This study sought to begin evaluating the utility of the SACA, a structured rating scale encompassing both behavioral and attitudinal indicators of correctional adaptation, by assessing its reliability, internal consistency, and concurrent validity. Study participants consisted of 64 patients recruited from a State psychiatric hospital. All patients were prescreened for incarceration history. Preliminarily, the SACA has important treatment implications for dealing with mentally-ill individuals with a history of incarceration. Tables, appendix, and references