RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Differential Impact of Deinstitutionalization on White and Nonwhite Defendants Found Incompetent to Stand Trial
JF Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
JO J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
FD American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
SP 311
OP 320
VO 17
IS 3
A1 Arvanites, Thomas M.
YR 1989
UL http://jaapl.org/content/17/3/311.abstract
AB Previous studies have reported that state mental hospital deinstitutionalization has resulted in the processing of the mentally ill through the criminal justice system. Using pre- and postdeinstitutionalization samples of defendants found incompetent to stand trial (IST) selected from three states, this study examines changes in the mental health and arrest histories of white and nonwhite ISTs. These data reveal a significant increase in the number of nonwhite ISTs. Also, after deinstitutionalization, nonwhite ISTs had significantly more prior arrests and hospitalizations than white ISTs. There were, however, no differences in the offenses for which whites and nonwhites were arrested.