Bad Excuses or Difficult Life Situations? A Mixed Methods Analysis of Interactions Within a Mental Health Court

Abstract

This study examines interactions within one mental health court (MHC) in the western region of the United States in order to determine if there is differential treatment of the MHC’s male and female participants by the courtroom workgroup (CRWG), and what variables, if any, play into that treatment. The sample (n= 49) consists of two groups: males (34) and females (15) observed through court hearings online for a fifteen-month period. These interactions have been measured through attitude, appearance, compliance, status of incarceration, program phase, social service involvement, criminal record, familial relationships, substances, and employment and an Observed Interaction Measure (OIM) for each measure for each group has been calculated. The OIM consists of the measure of participants who experience any interaction with the CRWG regarding the various measures on a 1 (positive interaction), 0 (neutral interaction), or -1 (negative interaction) scale for each time interaction occurs where the lower the score, the more negative the interactions are with the CRWG. The OIM for each measure for males, females, and the sample as a whole in combination with qualitative examinations utilizing an attribution theory and focal concerns theory context informs the results of the study. In general, the results suggest the presence of differences in such treatment for male and female participants. The possible policy and future research implications of the study are also discussed