title: Commentary: bridging the gaps for former inmates with serious mental illness.
abstract: Serious mental illness is a prominent and vexing problem within the correctional systems of North America. Simpson and colleagues draw attention to the epidemiology, special characteristics, and management problems relevant to Canadian inmates with serious mental illness. Of great interest to those in the forensic psychiatric field is the matter of continuation of care for mentally ill prisoners, in that untreated or undertreated psychiatric problems are strongly associated with poor social functioning and criminal recidivism. In this commentary, we expand on the discussion in Simpson et al. of the effectiveness of assertive community treatment teams for those former inmates at greatest risk for future involvement with the criminal justice system. We also propose outpatient civil commitment as one strategy to facilitate the successful return of select inmate patients to the community.
authors: UCHC c/o NJDOC, Bates Building, 2nd floor, Box 863, Stuyvesant and Whittlesey Road, Trenton, NJ 08625. anthony.tamburello@rutgers.edu.
authors: Anthony C
authors: AC
authors: Tamburello
authors: Zoë
authors: Z
authors: Selhi
mesh_terms: D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011330:Prisons