Recidivism Following Mental Health Court Exit: Between & Within-Group Comparisons

Over the past decade, Mental Health Courts (MHCs) have spread rapidly across the U.S. These courts aim to reduce recidivism among adults with mental illnesses through diversion into community-based treatment. 

Extant research suggests that MHCs can be effective in reducing recidivism, but also demonstrates that effectiveness varies as a function of characteristics of the participants (e.g., criminal history) and the program (e.g., coercion). Less is known regarding the extent to which process-related factors (e.g., length of participation, time between referral and receipt of services) impact effectiveness. 

Prior research also is limited by a focus on recidivism during MHC as opposed to postexit. To address these knowledge gaps, we examined recidivism 1 year postexit for a group of MHC participants (n = 57) and offenders receiving treatment as usual (TAU; n = 40), total N = 97. We also investigated the influence of individual characteristics and process factors on changes in jail days 1 year preentry to 1 year postexit for MHC participants. 

Overall, results provide some evidence supporting the effectiveness of MHCs. MHC participants had significantly fewer jail days, but not charges or convictions, relative to TAU participants. Among MHC participants, graduation from the MHC, presence of co-occurring substance use, and longer length of MHC participation were associated with greater reductions in jail days. Other process factors were unrelated to reductions in recidivism. 

Findings suggest that MHCs may be particularly effective for high-risk participants and that time spent in a MHC has positive effects on recidivism, regardless of graduation status.

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By:  Lowder EM1, Desmarais SL1, Baucom DJ1.

• 1Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University. 
• Law Hum Behav. 2016 Apr;40(2):118-27. doi: 10.1037/lhb0000168. Epub 2015 Nov 23.

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The Habitual Female Offender Inside: How Psychopathic Traits Predict Chronic Prison Violence

Psychopathy is considered one of the best predictors of violence and prison misconducts and is arguably an important clinical construct in the correctional setting. However, we tested whether psychopathy can be used to predict misconducts in prison environments for women as has been done for men. To date, few studies exist that examine and validate this association in female offender samples. The present study included 182 ethnically diverse female offenders. 

The aim was to prospectively predict violent and nonviolent misconducts over a 9-month period using official records of prior violent criminal history (e.g., homicide, manslaughter, assault), and self-report measures of psychopathy, impulsivity, and empathy. Using negative binomial regression, we found that past violent criminal history, and callous and antisocial psychopathic traits were predictors of violent misconducts, whereas antisocial psychopathic traits and impulsivity best predicted nonviolent misconducts. Although empathy was negatively associated with psychopathy it was not a significant predictor of violent or nonviolent misconducts. Statistical models, which included impulsivity, were considered the most parsimonious at predicting misconducts. 

Our findings demonstrate how risk-factors found to be reliable in male offender samples, such as psychopathic traits, impulsivity, and past violent criminal history, generalize to female offenders for predicting nonviolent and violent misconducts. One notable difference is the importance of callous psychopathic traits when predicting chronic violent misconducts by female offenders. In sum, there are more similarities in psychopathy and impulsivity than differences in the prediction of misconducts among men and women.

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By:  Thomson ND, Towl GJ, Centifanti LC.

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Psychosis, Lack of Job Skills, and Criminal History: Associations with Employment in Two Samples of Homeless Men

OBJECTIVE:

This study examined factors associated with employment among homeless men with mental illness, particularly history of criminal justice involvement.

METHODS:

Data from 569 homeless men in the 11-site Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homelessness (2004-2009) and 1,101 homeless male veterans in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program at 19 sites (1992-2003) were analyzed.

RESULTS:

In neither sample was criminal or incarceration history significantly associated with job attainment or earnings for either black or white participants. In contrast, psychotic disorders and public-support income were negatively associated with job attainment and earnings. The majority of homeless veterans reported lifetime occupations as skilled or unskilled manual workers.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings highlight the high rate of nonemployment among homeless men and suggest that employment among homeless men is not significantly impeded by a criminal record but by psychiatric problems and reliance on public-support income.

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By:  Tsai J1, Rosenheck RA1.

• 1The authors are with the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs New England Health Care System, West Haven, Connecticut (e-mail: Jack.Tsai@yale.edu ). 

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Arsonists and Violent Offenders Compared: Two Peas in a Pod?

Arsonists are considered a type of violent offender by some and a distinct group of offenders by others. Assuming the latter could be beneficial to offer tailor-made psychotherapeutic treatment to these offenders. 

The present study investigated whether arsonists (n = 55) and violent offenders (n = 41) are differentiable regarding several demographic and personal characteristics, and criminal career. 

Results indicated that arsonists were significantly more often diagnosed with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Axis II disorder, and more socially isolated and lacking coping skills. 

Violent offenders, on the other hand, demonstrated more drug abuse/dependence, a younger age at the first manifestation of antisocial behavior, a more extensive criminal history and higher percentage of recidivism. 

In light of these results, it is conceivable that arsonists could benefit from a slightly different treatment approach, for example, with more attention to relational and emotion regulation skills.

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By:   Wilpert J¹, van Horn J², Eisenberg M².

¹De Forensische Zorgspecialisten [The Forensic Care Specialists], Utrecht, The Netherlands jwilpert@dfzs.nl.

²De Forensische Zorgspecialisten [The Forensic Care Specialists], Utrecht, The Netherlands. 

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2015 Dec 31. pii: 0306624X15619165.

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Gender Differences in the Impact of Abuse & Neglect Victimization on Adolescent Offending Behavior

The present study examines gender differences in the association between abuse and neglect during childhood, and sexual and violent offending in juvenile delinquents. 

Female juvenile delinquents were more frequently victim of sexual and physical abuse and had a history of neglect and maltreatment than male juvenile offenders. 

Male juvenile offenders committed more sexual offenses and felony offenses against persons. 

Female juvenile offenders reported higher levels of having committed misdemeanor offenses against persons and violence that were not included in criminal history. 

A history of sexual abuse was related to sexual offending, while a history of physical abuse was related to violent offending. The relationships between victimization and offending were stronger in male juvenile offenders than in female juvenile offenders.

Table 1

Prevalence of sexual and physical abuse and neglect separately for female and male juvenile offenders

	Girls (n = 3,502)	Boys (n = 10,111)	χ 2/t	d
History of victimization of sexual abuse (total)	33 %	8 %	1336.76***	.66
- By a family member (SAF)	14 %	4 %	459.51***	.33
- Outside the family (SAOF)	24 %	5 %	1021.95***	.57
History of victimization of physical abuse (total)	36 %	24 %	203.16***	.25
- By a family member (PAF)	31 %	21 %	137.89***	.20
- Outside the family (PAOF)	10 %	5 %	111.90***	.18
History of victimization of neglect	29 %	21 %	108.77***	.18
Any form of maltreatment	61 %	37 %	631.16***	.44
Average number of forms of maltreatment	1.08 (SD = 1.12)	.55 (SD = .85)	28.60***	.57

*** p < .001

Table 2

Prevalence of sexual and violent offending behavior separately for female and male juvenile offenders

	Female (n = 3,502)	Male (n = 10,111)	χ 2	d
Sexual aggressive behavior (total)	3 % (n = 119)	10 % (n = 1,016)	150.53***	.78
- Felony sexual offense (s)	1 % (n = 31)	5 % (n = 548)	131.34***	1.08
- Misdemeanor sexual offense (s)	1 % (n = 20)	3 % (n = 308)	67.77***	1.02
- Report (s) of sexual aggression not included in criminal history	2 % (n = 76)	6 % (n = 637)	89.38***	.76
Violent behavior (total)	72 % (n = 2,522)	73 % (n = 7,384)	1.35	.02
- Felony against-person offense (s)	12 % (n = 430)	18 % (n = 1,840)	65.59***	.35
- Misdemeanor against-person offense (s)	44 % (n = 1,522)	37 % (n = 3,776)	39.34***	.17
- Report (s) of violence not included in criminal history	58 % (n = 2,030)	54 % (n = 5,442)	18.05***	.10

*** p < .001

Full article at: http://goo.gl/HvmZFG

By: Jessica J. Asscher, Claudia E. Van der Put, and Geert Jan J. M. Stams

Forensic Child and Youth Care Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, POBox 15776, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Jessica J. Asscher, Phone: +31-20-5251445, Email: ln.AvU@rehcssA.J.J.

Corresponding author.

 

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Criminal History & Future Offending of Juveniles Convicted of the Possession of Child Pornography

Most child pornography is distributed online. It is estimated that 3% to 15% of child pornography consumers are juveniles. 

The present study analyzed a consecutive sample of 54 male juveniles convicted of the possession of child pornography. Demographic characteristics, criminal history, and subsequent offending were assessed from criminal files and official reports. Juvenile possessors of child pornography were compared to three different groups of juveniles: Juvenile possessors of other illegal pornography (n = 42), juveniles who committed a sexual contact offense against a child (n = 64), and juveniles who committed a sexual contact offense against a peer or adult (n = 104). Juvenile possessors of child pornography were found to have downloaded the illegal material more frequently and over a longer time period than juvenile possessors of other illegal pornography. 

Furthermore, juvenile possessors of child pornography differed from juveniles who had committed a sexual contact offense in terms of demographics and showed fewer previous and subsequent offending than juveniles who sexually offended against a peer or adult. 

We conclude that juvenile possessors of child pornography need a specific target intervention focusing on dysfunctional Internet use and sexually deviant arousal.

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By: Aebi M1, Plattner B2, Ernest M2, Kaszynski K3, Bessler C2.

• 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland maebi@ppkj.uzh.ch.
• 2Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
• 3Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA. 

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