Journal Article

Behavioral Health Problems, Ex-Offender Reentry Policies, and the \Second Chance Act\

Pan, Ko-Yu, Pogorzelski, Wendy, Blitz, Cynthia L, Wolff, Nancy

2005

Overview

The federal “Second Chance Act of 2005” calls for expanding reentry services for people leaving prison, yet existing policies restrict access to needed services for those with criminal records. We examined the interaction between individual-level characteristics and policy-level restrictions related to criminal conviction, and the likely effects on access to resources upon reentry, using a sample of prisoners with Axis I mental disorders (n=3073). We identified multiple challenges related to convictions, including restricted access to housing, public assistance, and other resources. Invisible punishments embedded within existing policies were inconsistent with the call for second chances. Without modification of federal and state policies, the ability of reentry services to foster behavioral health and community reintegration is limited.

• Publisher: Am Public Health Assoc,American Public Health Association,American Journal of Public Health 2005
• Subject: Access / Adolescent / Adult / Biological and medical sciences / Cardiac dysrhythmias / Cardiology. Vascular system / Community Mental Health Services - organization & administration / Comorbidity / Convictions / Criminal records / Criminal sentences / Deinstitutionalization - organization & administration / Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Discrimination / Disorders / Drug abuse / Drug use / Eligibility Determination - organization & administration / Employment / Ex-convicts / Female / Habitual offenders / Health behavior / Health Policy - legislation & jurisprudence / Health problems / Health Services Needs and Demand / Health Services Research / Heart / Housing / Housing authorities / Housing policy / Humans / Individual differences / Legislation / Male / Medical sciences / Mental disorders / Mental Disorders - diagnosis / Mental Disorders - epidemiology / Mental Disorders - rehabilitation / Mental health / Mental health care / Mental health services / Middle Aged / Miscellaneous / New Jersey - epidemiology / Offenders / Participation / Prisoners / Prisoners - legislation & jurisprudence / Prisoners - statistics & numerical data / Prisons / Public Assistance / Public health / Public Health Consequences of Imprisonment / Public health. Hygiene / Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine / Public policy / Punishment / Recidivism / Reentry / Rehabilitation / Social conditions & trends / Social services / State policies / Substance abuse treatment / Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology / Substance-Related Disorders - prevention & control / Violence - legislation & jurisprudence / Violence - prevention & control / Violence - statistics & numerical data / Voting rights