Policy Recommendations for Meeting the Grand Challenge to Promote Smart Decarceration

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs

From Mass Incarceration to Effective and Sustainable Decarceration: Conference Report

All signs indicate that the United States is leaving an era of mass incarceration and is on the cusp of an era of decarceration. However, the challenge of decarceration is far greater than simply reducing the use of incarceration; it involves building an array of policy and practice innovations that replace incarceration. We have a unique opportunity to rethink, redefine, and reimagine the criminal justice system and shape the emerging decarceration movement. The challenge of decarceration is far greater than simply reducing the use of incarceration; it involves building an array of policy and practice innovations that replace incarceration. To launch this area of work, Smart Decarceration Initiative (SDI) hosted the first national conference on decarceration, From Mass Incarceration to Effective and Sustainable Decarceration, on September 24–27, 2015. More than 150 thought-provoking and inspiring leaders in policy, practice, advocacy, and research joined us at Washington University in St. Louis to present their work, engage in meaningful discussion, and help set an agenda for moving decarceration forward. The conference promoted collaboration across disciplines and sectors and stimulated scientifically driven, practical, and applied policy and community-based social innovations. To ensure effective and sustainable decarceration, we must plan and do the difficult work of developing a “smart” approach—one that is evidence-driven and grounded in a social justice orientation

From Mass Incarceration to Smart Decarceration

American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare Grand Challenges Initiative Concept Pape

Smart Decarceration: Guiding Concepts for an Era of Criminal Justice Transformation

The era of mass incarceration, which made the United States the world’s leading jailer, appears to be coming to an end. What is likely to follow is an era of decarceration, aimed at reducing the incarcerated population. In this working paper, we discuss the problems associated with mass incarceration and the current climate that is likely to make decarceration a reality. We discuss the importance of developing a “smart decarceration” approach—one that is effective, sustainable, and socially just. We then articulate interrelated goals for the era of decarceration, and offer guiding concepts that will help to meet these goals through transformation of the criminal justice system

Incorporating naturally occurring social support in interventions for former prisoners with substance use disorders: a community-based randomized controlled trial

Improvements in post-release outcomes of former prisoners (FPs) are linked to behavior and attitudes influenced by social relationships and social support. However, social and behavioral scientists continue to underutilize naturally occurring social support in interventions for FPs with substance use disorders. The exponentially rising incarceration rates in the United States disproportionately impact vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in our society. A range of efforts are needed to address specific sociostructural problems contributing to these trends, but in the interim people release from prison everyday and these individuals can benefit from social work informed interventions. The following three papers draw much needed attention to a neglected and low cost resource - naturally occurring social support - that could substantially improve the outcomes of FPs. The first paper challenges the assumption that FPs have little positive support. Next, the paper describes an intervention, Support Matters, that incorporates naturally occurring social support, that was developed and tested in North Carolina using a randomized controlled trial design. Support Matters is grounded in three theoretical frameworks and is manualized to promote fidelity to the intervention. The second paper describes the feasibility and acceptability evaluation results of Support Matters. This evaluation was conducted within the randomized controlled trial of Support Matters that assesses the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing substance misuse and re-arrest. In light of the difficulties that are frequently encountered when transferring evidence to practice, these evaluations are of critical importance during the formative stages of empirically supported interventions. This paper describes the feasibility and acceptability outcomes from the views of former prisoner participants, support partners, and group facilitators. The third paper presents preliminary findings from the randomized controlled trial used to compare the effects of Support Matters to routine post-release services offered to a sample of 40 male prisoners with substance use disorders releasing to a large urban county. Findings indicate that Support Matters participants experience increases in subtypes of social support from family and report more opportunities for reciprocity of support compared to their routine services counterparts. Arrest outcome trends approached statistically significant differences in reduced arrest rates for Support Matters participants

Reverse Civic and Legal Exclusions for Persons With Criminal Charges and Convictions

This policy action statement was developed by members of the network engaged in the Grand Challenge to Promote Smart Decarceration. The Grand Challenges initiative’s policy action statements present proposals emerging from Social Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in collaboration with theAmerican Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress through a national agenda powered by science

General Medical Problems of Incarcerated Persons With Severe and Persistent Mental Illness: A Population-Based Study

Persons with severe mental illness have higher rates of chronic general medical illness compared with the general population. Similarly, compared with the general population, incarcerated persons have higher rates of chronic medical illness; however, there is little information about the synergy between severe mental illness and incarceration and the general medical problems of consumers. To address this gap in the literature this study addresses the following question: are consumers with a history of incarceration at greater risk of general medical problems compared with consumers without such a history

Self-medication among traumatized youth: structural equation modeling of pathways between trauma history, substance misuse, and psychological distress

In an effort to self-medicate psychological distress stemming from exposure to traumatic life events, at-risk youth may be likely to seek intoxication via substance use. Concomitantly, self-medication with psychoactive substances is theorized to confer risk of developing future psychiatric and substance use disorders. The present study employed structural equation modeling to examine self-medication among a sample of 723 youth in residential treatment for antisocial behavior via recursive and non-recursive relationships between trauma history, substance misuse, and psychological distress. Results supported study hypotheses that: (a) the effects of trauma history on psychological distress are partially mediated by substance misuse, and (b) exposure to traumatic life events drives a feedback loop between substance misuse and psychological distress. Findings from this large-scale survey of adolescents exhibiting behavioral dysfunction suggest that identification of self-medication processes among traumatized youth may be crucial for developing targeted prevention and treatment initiatives

HIV-Infected Prison Inmates: Depression and Implications for Release Back to Communities

High rates of both HIV and depression are seen in prison populations; depression has been linked to disease progression in HIV, risky behaviors, and medication non-adherence. Despite this, few studies have examined HIV-infected inmates with depression. We therefore conducted an exploratory study of a sample of HIV-infected inmates in North Carolina prisons (N=101) to determine what proportion of this sample screened positive for depression and whether depression was associated with different pre-incarceration characteristics or post-release needs. A high proportion of HIV infected inmates (44.5%) screened positive for depression. Depressed inmates were significantly more likely have low coping self-efficacy scores (180 vs. 214), to report having had resource needs (OR=2.91) prior to incarceration and to anticipate needing income (OR=2.81), housing (OR=4.07), transportation (OR=9.15), and assistance with adherence (OR=8.67) post-release. We conclude by discussion the implications of our findings for prison based care and effective prison release planning for HIV infected inmates

The Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury on the Receipt of Services Following Release from Prison

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is found at substantially higher rates among incarcerated individuals compared to the general adult population. Individuals with TBI report a higher likelihood to experience a range of deleterious outcomes including substance abuse, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, aggressive behavior, and violence. Thus, a history of TBI is likely to lead to the types of behaviors that will significantly increase the odds of an individual returning to incarceration post-release, as supported by recent research with a cohort of state prisoners. TBI has largely gone unaddressed by prison reentry programs that are integral to rehabilitating individuals returning to the community. Relatively little is known, however, about the effects of TBI on the receipt of services post-release. Additionally, few studies have examined sex differences in the prevalence of TBI in reentry populations. This chapter uses data from a multi-state prisoner reentry program randomized control trial to examine whether individuals with TBI are significantly different than their peers without TBI with respect to a variety of demographic and psychological metrics and in expressions of needs for and participation in services and programming during the transition from incarceration to the community