Whats being done to address recidivism?
The Consensus Project, a coordinated effort by the Council of State Governments to improve services for mentally ill offenders, recently released a report calling for a complete overhaul of the way mentally ill offenders are treated. Rather than simply turning offenders loose after they have served their sentences, the report recommends planning for post-release services almost from the day they arrive in the justice system. A successful system for reentry would coordinate efforts among specialists in a range of services, integrate treatment for mental illness and substance abuse, combine primary healthcare with mental healthcare, create and improve housing resources for the mentally ill, involve families and the community with the offender’s treatment, and ensure that people with mental illness are accessing the full range of government entitlements for which they are eligible, such as Social Security Disability Insurance. Read more about some innovative programs that communities have
