Evidence-Based Practice for Characterizing the Mentally-Ill Inmate Population

In the mid-20th century, deinstitutionalization of mental health hospitals in the United States led to a dramatic decline in the availability of centralized institutional services. As a result, a result, a significant portion of the inmate population at correctional facilities consists of individuals with serious mental illness. In Charlottesville, VA and surrounding counties, individuals suffering from serious mental illness often depend on local community service providers (CSPs) for treatment after their release from custody, but limited interagency coordination impedes access to treatment. To better understand the characteristics of the population of incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness, data spanning a 30-month period from July 2015 to December 2017 were obtained through research partnerships with criminal justice agencies and CSPs in the Charlottesville area. In order to evaluate who might benefit from mental health services, this paper characterizes the population of inmates who met screening criteria for further mental health evaluation relative to those who did not. In the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail (ACRJ) booking data, 5,284 unique individuals were identified, of which 3,064 (48%) were screened for serious mental illness. Of those screened, 32% met the screening criteria for further mental health evaluation. For individuals who met the screening criteria, 21% were linked to a local community service provider for further mental health services. Key findings of this study include: individuals who met the screening criteria for serious mental illness spent a more time in jail during the study period than those who did not meet the criteria. individuals who stayed more than 30 days for any given booking event were more likely to have met the criteria for serious mental illness, individuals who returned to custody due to probation violations were more likely to have met the criteria for serious mental illness, individuals who were returned to custody most frequently and spent the most time in jail were more likely to meet the criteria for serious mental illness. The paper also analyzes the linkages between the criminal justice system and these individuals who require further mental health evaluation and services. These findings help agencies and community stakeholders develop a better understanding of relationships and interactions and establish best practices for enhancing public safety while addressing the needs of individuals suffering from mental illness.