| More than 60% of jail inmates in the United States show symptoms of mental illness (James & Glaze, 2006, p.1) and around two million people with a severe mental illness (SMI) (as defined by a psychological screening tool such as the Structured Clinical Interview for the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV [SCID]) are booked into jails every year (Steadman, Osher, Robbins, Case, & Samuels, 2009, p. 764). In addition it is known that individuals with co-occurring disorders in the criminal justice system have higher rates of multiple incarcerations than those with only a substance use disorder (SUD) or those with only an SMI (J. Baillargeon et al., 2010). Mental health courts (MHCs) have become a gateway of community re-entry for this population. Specifically graduates of MHC have become known as a group with lower rates of recidivism (Herinckx, Swart, Ama, Dolezal, & King, 2005; McNeil & Binder, 2007; Moore & Hiday, 2006) and delayed time to new arrest (Hiday & Ray, 2010). Qualitative research, more specifically phenomenology, can offer an in-depth perspective of the phenomena of recovery and reduced recidivism among MHC graduates. This study investigated the experiences of 6 graduates from a specific MHC known as the Behavioral Health Court (BHC) in Martinez, CA. In-depth interviews explored which program and personal characteristics were most beneficial tools for their recovery. Themes and thick descriptions revealed from the interviews provided insights about the lived experiences of BHC graduates. |
