Mentally Ill Offenders and Community Transitions: Resource Acquisition and Recidivism

National (U.S.) estimates suggest that over 210,000 adult felons are released each year with mental illness severe enough to warrant significant attention from prison mental health staff. Previous studies concerning mentally ill offenders have focused on criminological variables such as age and past criminal history to explain recidivism rates of 65-80 percent. This retrospective study examined the influence on recidivism of variables such as pre-release planning elements (mental health treatment, financial assistance, and housing), post-release coordination of elements, and acquisition of community resources among a sample of mentally ill felons released to the community. Subjects (n=25) were drawn in a stratified random manner to ensure inclusion of women (n=5; 20%), and were followed from six to 18 months.