Wolff Nancy, Epperson Matthew, Shi Jing, Huening Jessica, Schumann Brooke E, Sullivan Irene Rubinson
Center for Behavioral Health Services & Criminal Justice Research, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, 176 Ryders Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, 969 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Int J Law Psychiatry. 2014 Sep-Oct;37(5):464-72. doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2014.02.019. Epub 2014 Mar 12.
With the large and growing number of persons with mental illnesses under probation supervision, a form of specialized probation called specialized mental health caseload (SMHC) has been implemented. This study explores the effectiveness of a prototypic SMHC implemented statewide. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare criminal justice, mental health, and community engagement outcomes among three caseloads: a newly established SMHC supervising no more than 30 clients per officer (N=1367); an established SMHC supervising roughly 50 clients per officer (N=495); and a traditional caseload of clients receiving mental health treatment and supervised by officers with average caseloads of over 130 clients (N=5453). Using a mixed methods approach, we found that the SMHC was implemented with high adherence to fidelity, and comparisons based on different caseload samples generally support the effectiveness of the specialized mental health caseload, particularly on criminal justice outcomes. Future studies using random assignment are needed to examine the connection among mental health symptoms, compliance with treatment and probation supervision, and recidivism.
鉴于缓刑监督下患有精神疾病的人数众多且不断增加，一种名为专门心理健康案件量管理（SMHC）的专门缓刑形式已被实施。本研究探讨了在全州范围内实施的原型SMHC的有效性。采用准实验设计来比较三种案件量管理方式在刑事司法、心理健康和社区参与方面的结果：一种新设立的SMHC，每名官员监督不超过30名客户（N = 1367）；一种已设立的SMHC，每名官员监督约50名客户（N = 495）；以及一种传统案件量管理方式，由平均案件量超过130名客户的官员监督接受心理健康治疗的客户（N = 5453）。通过混合方法研究，我们发现SMHC在实施过程中高度遵循保真度，基于不同案件量样本的比较总体上支持专门心理健康案件量管理的有效性，特别是在刑事司法结果方面。未来需要使用随机分配的研究来检验心理健康症状、治疗依从性和缓刑监督以及再犯之间的联系。
