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History of arrest, incarceration and victimization in community-based severely mentally ill

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ABSTRACT

This study examined history of arrest and victimization in an urban community sample of severely mentally ill adults. Adults (n = 308) were consented and interviewed in one of four short-term residential treatment facilities in San Francisco. Nearly three quarters (71.4%) had been arrested at some time in their lives, 28.2% of whom had been arrested in the past 6 months. Substance use and homelessness were associated with history of arrest, while gender and ethnicity were not, although African Americans were more likely to have spent longer time in jail or prison. One quarter (25.6%) reported victimization. Being female (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.2–3.5, p = 0.032) and homeless (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2–3.8, p = 0.013) were associated with reporting victimization. Severe mental illness, in particular in combination with substance abuse and homelessness, is associated with higher prevalence of both arrest and victimization history. Healthcare providers should solicit histories to include these events in order to understand and provide optimal care and case management services.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute for Nursing Research (RO1-NR05350).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Community Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco , 2 Koret Way, 0608, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0608, USA

    Mary Castle White RN, MPH, PhD, Linda Chafetz RN, DNSc, Gerri Collins-Bride RN, MS, ANP & John Nickens PhD

Authors
  1. Mary Castle White RN, MPH, PhD
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  2. Linda Chafetz RN, DNSc
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  3. Gerri Collins-Bride RN, MS, ANP
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  4. John Nickens PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mary Castle White RN, MPH, PhD.

Additional information

Mary Castle White is Professor, Linda Chafetz, Professor, and Gerri Collins-Bride, Clinical Professor, all at the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, Department of Community Health Systems; and John Nickens is Clinical Director of the San Francisco Progress Foundation, San Francisco, California, USA.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute for Nursing Research (RO1-NR05350).

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White, M.C., Chafetz, L., Collins-Bride, G. et al. History of arrest, incarceration and victimization in community-based severely mentally ill. J Community Health 31, 123–135 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-005-9005-1

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