Impact On Recidivism And Quality Of Life
A study conducted as part of the Vermont Mental Health Performance Indicator
Project found a strong correlation between incarceration rates and utilization
of public mental health services. Using data from 14 states, this study
found that the states with the highest utilization rate had the lowest
incarceration rate, and that lower mental health utilization rates in
a state accompanied increased rates of incarceration.(2)
Access to benefits can help adults and juveniles with serious mental
disorders overcome many of the barriers they face as a result of having
been arrested and incarcerated. In addition to the obvious problems of
insufficient income to pay rent and buy food, clothing and other necessities,
and no coverage for health and mental health care, including medication,
these individuals face a range of other barriers. Incarceration can result
in:
- denial of employment opportunities;
- ineligibility for subsidized housing;
- inability to finance further education;
- lack of access to public mental health services; and
- loss of custody of children.
Employment
Most states have legal prohibitions against employing people with a
criminal history in certain jobs. Yet even when there
are no legal barriers, employers can easily obtain an applicant's criminal
history and often refuse to hire people who have been convicted or--in
jurisdictions that make arrest records public--have been arrested but
not found guilty of any crime.
The problem may be compounded for people with serious mental disorders
because of the stigma attached to mental illness. It can therefore be
extremely difficult, even impossible, for someone with a serious mental
disorder to secure a job after release from jail or prison.
Housing
Access to subsidized housing has increasingly become a challenge in
the past two decades, as federal support for public housing, housing assistance
and homeless programs has declined dramatically. Any criminal record may
make landlords unwilling to rent a room or apartment to an individual
or may lead to eviction from a current residence. Federal policy requires
public housing authorities to deny access to anyone with a conviction
for a crime, including a misdemeanor, that could affect the health, safety
and welfare of other tenants. Some housing authorities have interpreted
this to include conviction for disorderly conduct, harassment and misdemeanor
drug possession. Moreover, an entire family may be denied housing or evicted
based on a finding that one member of the household has been arrested
or incarcerated.
Private landlords renting to individuals with federal Section 8 housing
certificates also evict or refuse to admit tenants on the basis of criminal
activity, including misdemeanor drug and other crimes.
If they are to overcome these substantial barriers, people with serious
mental disorders need income supports. Often they also need access to
a mental health case manager who can assist them in finding suitable housing.
Education
Both adults and juveniles with serious mental disorders will need to
participate in education programs. Serious mental disorders frequently
become disabling during the late teens or early twenties, leading to a
break in education. Continuing education toward either a GED or a college
degree is one of the most effective ways to offer a young adult an opportunity
to succeed, and can directly contribute to recovery and rehabilitation.
Youth who have had contact with the juvenile justice system need to continue
their education as an important part of their rehabilitation.
Paying for continuation of schooling represents a formidable barrier.
Federal law bars those with a prior conviction for possession or sale
of controlled substances from obtaining either Pell grants or subsidized
student loans. Many students are thus cut off from federal educational
assistance, and few who have been incarcerated can afford the cost of
higher education on their own.
Public Mental Health Services
Increasingly, access to public mental health services depends on having
Medicaid coverage. Medicaid now pays for half of all public community
mental health services; its share of the cost has increased rapidly and
the trend is predicted to continue.(3)
As a result, it is increasingly hard for anyone without Medicaid coverage
to gain access to the local public mental health system.
A recent survey of homeless people in San Francisco illustrates the
problems. While 63% of respondents had tried to access mental health treatment,
31% of them never received any, and of those who were accepted, 24% received
services for less than one month and another 25% for only two to six months.
More than half (51%) reported negative experiences with the mental health
system.(4)
When contact with the criminal justice system is a factor, mental health
programs typically avoid accepting the individual into care. With long
waiting lists, most community programs select people they believe can
benefit quickly from services and those who will not pose particularly
challenging problems for the program or engage in behaviors that disturb
other clients. Lack of Medicaid coverage is an easy justification for
denying access to such services.
Child Custody Issues
Incarceration also breaks the bonds between parents and their children.
Often, child welfare agencies remove children from the custody of an incarcerated
parent, particularly if the parent has a serious mental disorder. This
is one more stressor for parents upon release. However, the ability to
be quickly reinstated on benefits, such as TANF and Medicaid, may enable
them to regain custody of their children.
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