Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Gender Differences and Risk of Arrest Among Offenders with Serious Mental Illness

  • Published:
The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Despite the increasing number of men and women with serious mental illness (SMI) incarcerated in America's jails, little research exists on the role gender may play in arrest among persons with SMI. This study examined correlates of arrests among offenders with SMI, specifically the role of gender. County criminal justice records, as well as county and statewide social service archival databases, were used to identify jail inmates with SMI in a large urban county in Florida. Of the 3,769 inmates identified, 41% were female. This study identified three distinct classes of male and female offenders within which persons had similar trajectories of arrests over the 4-year study period representing those with minimal, low, and high arrest rates. Findings suggest some important differences between women and men in risk factors for re-arrests. Attention to these factors may improve the ability to prevent future recidivism among men and women with SMI.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fisher WH, Silver E, Wolff N. Beyond criminalization: toward a criminologically informed framework for mental health policy and services research. Administration and policy in mental health. Sep 2006;33(5):544-557.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Wilper AP, Woolhandler S, Boyd JW, et al. The health and health care of US prisoners: results of a nationwide survey. American journal of public health. Apr 2009;99(4):666-672.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Abram K, Teplin LA, McClelland GM. Comorbidity of Severe Psychiatric Disorders and Substance Use Disorders Among Women in Jail. The American journal of psychiatry. 2003;160(5):1007.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Lamb HR, Weinberger LE. The Shift of Psychiatric Inpatient Care From Hospitals to Jails and Prisons. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. December 1, 2005 2005;33(4):529-534.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Draine J, Herman DB. Critical Time Intervention for Reentry From Prison for Persons With Mental Illness. Psychiatric Services. December 1, 2007 2007;58(12):1577-1581.

  6. McNiel DE, Binder RL, Robinson JC. Incarceration associated with homelessness, mental disorder, and co-occurring substance abuse. Psychiatric Services. Jul 2005;56(7):840-846.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Morrissey J, Meyer P, Cuddeback G. Extending Assertive Community Treatment to criminal justice settings: origins, current evidence, and future directions. Community Mental Health Journal. Oct 2007;43(5):527-544.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Binswanger IA, Merrill JO, Krueger PM, et al. Gender differences in chronic medical, psychiatric, and substance-dependence disorders among jail inmates. American journal of public health. Mar 2010;100(3):476-482.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Steadman HJ, Osher FC, Robbins PC, et al. Prevalence of Serious Mental Illness Among Jail Inmates. Psychiatric Services. June 1, 2009 2009;60(6):761-765.

  10. James DJ, Glaze LE. Mental Health Problems of Prison and Jail Inmates. Pub no NCJ 213600.Washington DC: Department of Justice Office of Justice Porgrams Bureau of Justice Statistics.; 2006.

  11. Morrissey JP, Cuddeback GS, Cuellar AE, et al. The role of Medicaid enrollment and outpatient service use in jail recidivism among persons with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Services. Jun 2007;58(6):794-801.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gilliard DK, A.J. B. Prison and jail inmates at midyear 1996. In: Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, edWashington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice; 1997.

  13. Sabol WJ, Minton TD, Harrison PM. Prison and jail inmates at midyear 2006. In: Bulletin BoJS, edWashington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice; 2007.

  14. Crocker AG, Favreau OE, Caulet M. Gender and fitness to stand trial. A 5-year review of remands in Quebec. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. Jan-Feb 2002;25(1):67-84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Zonana HV, Bartel RL, Wells JA, et al. Part II: Sex differences in persons found not guilty by reason of insanity: analysis of data from the Connecticut NGRI Registry. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry & the Law. 1990;18(2):129-142.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Crocker AG, Hartford K, Heslop L. Gender differences in police encounters among persons with and without serious mental illness. Psychiatric Services. Jan 2009;60(1):86-93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Gendreau P, Little T, Goggin C. A Meta-Analysis Of The Predictors Of Adult Offender Recidivism: What Works. Criminology. 1996;34(4):575-608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Bonita VM. Mental Health Issues of Incarcerated Women In: Levin B, Becker M, eds. A Public Health Perspective of Women's Mental Health. New York: Springer; 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Elbogen EB, Mercado CC, Scalora MJ, et al. Perceived relevance of factors for violence risk assessment: A survey of clinicians. Journal of Forensic Mental Health Services. 2002;1(1):37-47.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Lovell D, Gagliardi GJ, Peterson PD. Recidivism and use of services among persons with mental illness after release from prison. Psychiatric Services. Oct 2002;53(10):1290-1296.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Robbins PC, Monahan J, Silver E. Mental disorder, violence, and gender. Law and Human Behavior. Dec 2003;27(6):561-571.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Constantine RJ, Andel R, Petrila J, et al. Identifying priorities for specialized forensic mental health services among a group of individuals with serious mental illness who became involved in the criminal justice system of a large urban county. Psychiatric Services. in press.

  23. Sirotich F. Correlates of crime and violence among persons with mental disorder: An evidence based review. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention. 2008;8(2):171-194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Busfield J. Men, Women, and Madness: Understanding Gender and Mental Disorder. New York: New York University Press; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Muthén LK, Muthén BO. Mplus User's Guide. 5th ed. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was conducted by the Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida and funded by a contract with Ortho McNeil Janssen Global Outcomes Research Ltd.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aging and Mental Health Disparities, College of Community and Behavioral Sciences, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MHC 1419, Tampa, FL, 33612-3807, USA

    Marion A. Becker PhD

  2. College of Community and Behavioral Sciences, School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MHC 1321, Tampa, FL, 33612-3807, USA

    Ross Andel PhD

  3. Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, College of Community and Behavioral Sciences, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MHC 2726, Tampa, FL, 33612-3807, USA

    Timothy Boaz PhD

  4. Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, College of Community and Behavioral Sciences, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MHC 2719, Tampa, FL, 33612-3807, USA

    Robert Constantine PhD

Authors
  1. Marion A. Becker PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ross Andel PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Timothy Boaz PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Robert Constantine PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marion A. Becker PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Becker, M.A., Andel, R., Boaz, T. et al. Gender Differences and Risk of Arrest Among Offenders with Serious Mental Illness. J Behav Health Serv Res 38, 16–28 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-010-9217-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-010-9217-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation