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Supporting People with Serious Mental Illnesses and Reducing Their Risk of Contact with the Criminal Justice System: A Primer for Psychiatrists

Resource Type: Documents and Publications

Focus Population: People with Criminal Justice System Involvement, People with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

Topics: Criminal or Juvenile Justice System, Mental Health Treatment, Post-discharge, Community Reentry

Often, psychiatrists are not adequately trained to identify and address the clinical and forensic needs associated with patients with serious mental illness who are engaged in criminal behavior. Psychiatrists are rarely familiar with the Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) principles that guide criminal justice professionals in identifying and targeting interventions that can help reduce recidivism for this population. This primer provides psychiatrists with an overview of the RNR model, information on how they might inquire about a person’s criminal history, and ways they can help address the particular needs of this population.