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DOI: 10.1177/0032885506290852 Co-Occurring Mental Illness and Substance Abuse in the Criminal Justice SystemSome Implications for Local JurisdictionsJohn Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
ACS State and Local Solutions, Washington, DC The increasing role of police, courts, and corrections in dealing with the mentally ill represents a significant challenge facing local justice systems. This article considers the impact of mentally ill and substance-abusing offenders in Santa Fe, New Mexico, by comparing a random sample of individuals detained on protective custody and mental health holds (n = 338) to a random sample of defendants arrested on criminal charges (n = 153). Results indicate that police encounter individuals with co-occurring disorders on a daily basis and that individuals detained on holds are much more likely than are those arrested to generate additional police contacts during a 1-year follow-up period. Individuals with co-occurring disorders also represent a serious financial burden on the local system, particularly in terms of confinement costs. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for criminal justice policy and practice.
Key Words: mental illness substance abuse co-occurring disorders criminal justice mentally ill
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