Press Release for 10/08/09
CSG Justice Center Releases Essential Elements of Specialized Probation Initiatives
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center announced today the release of Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: The Essential Elements of Specialized Probation Initiatives. The publication, developed with the support of the National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice, identifies 10 key components found in successful initiatives to improve outcomes for people with mental illnesses under probation supervision.Barbara Broderick, president of the American Probation and Parole Association and chief adult probation officer in Maricopa County, Arizona, said, “We in probation, together with judges, prosecutors and the defense bar, have struggled for many years to reduce particularly high rates of reincarceration among probationers with mental illnesses. Until now, there hasn't been a document that focuses specifically on how to improve outcomes for these individuals. The Essential Elements report addresses that gap by providing clear guidance to state and local officials who oversee probation agencies and their partners in the mental health system.”
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics and recent prevalence estimates, there are more than four million people under probation supervision in this country and as many as one in six have serious mental illnesses. The Justice Center's March 2009 Community Corrections Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice found that people with mental illnesses who are sentenced to traditional forms of supervision often return to jail or prison.
Morris Thigpen, director of the National Institute of Corrections, said, “Probationers with mental illnesses have complex treatment and supervision needs. The Essential Elements provides specific recommendations for responding to these challenges without touting a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. It is relevant for both urban and rural jurisdictions, whether or not they employ specialized caseloads for probationers with mental illness.”
New York State Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry, chair of the Council of State Governments Justice Center Board of Directors, added, “To improve success rates among people with mental illness on probation, leaders in the criminal justice system and the mental health community must work in partnership. The Essential Elements should be required reading for policymakers seeking to increase public safety, reduce expenditures on the criminal justice system and help people with mental illnesses.”
Download the report for free at http://consensusproject.org/jc_publications/probation-essential-elements or www.nicic.gov. It was produced under cooperative agreements (07HI03GJP4 and 08HI06GJVO) for the National Institute of Corrections. Additional resources can be found at www.consensusproject.org. A limited number of hard copies will be available after October 15 and can be pre-ordered at asknicic@nicic.gov or by calling 1.800.995.6429, option #4 (Publication accession number 024023).