title: The Impact of Community Treatment on Recidivism Among Mental Health Court Participants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A core component of mental health courts (MHCs) is the provision of community treatment in order to reduce arrests. However, research on the components of treatment received by MHC participants is rare. This study examined the impact of community treatment on arrests in an MHC sample (N=357) and a sample from the traditional criminal justice system (N=384).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from the MacArthur MHC Project, which includes objective and subjective information from four MHCs with comparison samples at each site. Interview data were collected for six months before and six months after entry into the MHC or legal system. National data from arrest records over one year were also obtained. Treatment-related variables were compliance (appointments and medication), perceptions (motivation and perceived voluntariness), and use of nine types of community treatment. A fixed-effects regression controlled for selection bias between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The regression model indicated significant increases in treatment motivation and use of community mental health and substance abuse services among MHC participants, compared with treatment-as-usual participants; however, the perceived voluntariness of treatment decreased in the MHC group. For the treatment-as-usual group, none of the treatment variables were associated with future arrest. For the MHC group, increased medication compliance and use of mental health services were associated with a significant decrease in arrests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with the MHC goals, findings indicated increases in receipt of community treatment among MHC participants. For the MHC sample, but not the treatment-as-usual sample, increased treatment was associated with reduced recidivism.
authors.affiliation: When this work was done, Mr. Han was with the School of Social Welfare, State University of New York, Albany. He is currently with the Department of Social Work, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York. Dr. Redlich is with the Department of Criminology, Law, and Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Send correspondence to Dr. Redlich (e-mail: aredlich@gmu.edu ).
authors.forename: Woojae
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: When this work was done, Mr. Han was with the School of Social Welfare, State University of New York, Albany. He is currently with the Department of Social Work, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York. Dr. Redlich is with the Department of Criminology, Law, and Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Send correspondence to Dr. Redlich (e-mail: aredlich@gmu.edu ).
authors.forename: Allison D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Redlich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057237:Criminals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome