Jail Diversion Program Effects for the Mentally Ill, Essay Example

Abstract

This paper is a review of jail diversion program effects for the mentally ill citing the studies and researchers conducted by Lamberti, Weisman, and Faden et al. (2004) and by Sirotich (2009). It also will examine the outreach services provided to individuals who have already been entered in the criminal justice system.

A Review of Jail Diversion Program Effects for the Mentally Ill

Jail Diversion is primarily an approach to minimize and hinder the unnecessary incarcerations of persons with a serious mental illness.  This research paper will examine the outreach services provided to individuals who have already been entered in the criminal justice system.  Different alternatives identified to avoid arrests and maltreatments will also be discussed.  The research conducted by Lamberti, Weisman, and Faden (2004) focuses on the effects of Forensic Assertive Community treatment while the study conducted by Sirotich (2009) revealed the initiatives rendered to persons with a serious mental illness who are or have been involved in the criminal justice system.  These individuals have been provided with traditional services.  The hypotheses, methods, and results will also be identified as well as the writers’ values based on the aforementioned studies to be applied in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation.

Lamberti, Weisman, and Faden et al. (2004) hope to accomplish their goal in examining and identifying the Assertive Community Treatment programs that have been adjusted to prevent relapses among adults with severe mental illness and who have been involved in the criminal justice system.  By defining the development of Assertive Community Treatment, they propose an emergence of a new model referred to as the Forensic Assertive Community Treatment.  They were made aware of the necessity in accessing treatment and Assertive Community Treatment, which required a combination of intense treatment and engaged high-risk individuals.

In directing the experimental study, Lamberti, Weisman, and Faden et al. (2004) conducted a two-phase survey between July and December 2000 in the department of psychiatry of the University of Rochester Medical Center.  In phase one, there was an electronic survey of members of the National Association of County Behavioral Health Directors (NACBHD).  Identified were 314 NACBHD members from 28 states.  The way this survey was conducted was via email to all participants.  The survey consisted of two broad screenings. In the second phase, the individual who was in charge was contacted via telephone to provide detailed information about its design and program. The Dartmouth Assertive Community Treatment Scale (DACTS) was used to assess the program’s fidelity.  The telephone surveys consisted of 45 minutes and were completed throughout the week during work hours, Eastern Time.

The results by Lamberti, Weisman, and Faden et al. (2004), demonstrated that over 93 percent of NACBHD members responded to the survey. About 34 percent of the programs met phase one’s norm. Out of the 34 percent only 16 programs met DACTS criterion of nine states out of 28 (32 percent). There were significant reductions in the number of arrests and hospitalizations.  The programs reported positive outcomes upon the discharge of individuals into the community.  This helps demonstrate the improvement of community functioning. Moreover, the residential programs have shown more positive effects with oversight through the residential programs than those without.

For continuous and future research, FACT should be implemented, as directed in the Lamberti, Weisman, and Faden (2004) research, as intensive and support programs as correctional extension.  Although the model is well defined, it has yet to be developed. This research poses more questions regarding the approach. This study has several limitations such as focusing only on 28 states represented by NACBHD. The goal of this research study is to analyze the utilization of emerging models rather than creating an existing one.  However, due to lack of funding, many programs are uncertain of continuous care in providing individuals alternative branches.

Sirotich et al. (2009) tested the performance of diversion programs for individuals with a mental illness due to the rising concerns regarding the grossly over representation of individuals with a serious mental illness in the criminal justice system. The empirical study by Sirotich (2009) concluded that joining mentally ill individuals and offender to community-based treatment services will have a sequence of minimizing police contact and criminal relapses in the community.

This empirical study was conducted with individuals with serious mental illness between jail inmate and prisoner in the United States as the main targets for the evaluation of the jail diversion programs for adults with mental illness or dual diagnosis (Sirotich et al., 2009). Secondly, a comparison of group design will also be made using the experimental and controlled study. Thirdly, the study has to provide a measure of relapses of individuals with mental illness. During the search strategy, Sirotich et al. (2009) used standardized searches and a variety of databases such as MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Criminal Justice Abstracts, and ProQuest among others followed by data extraction and synthesis.