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Reducing the burden of mental illness on the criminal justice system: Evidence from light-touch outreach

Author

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  • Batistich, Mary Kate
  • Evans, William N.
  • Phillips, David C.

Abstract

One quarter of people in jail have a serious mental illness (SMI); we study a county in a multi-state area that screens all inmates to identify those with one. Immediately after jail exit, county staff attempt to contact and connect these individuals to a mental healthcare provider, making successful connections in one in four cases. As outreach began on a specific date and residents of neighboring counties are ineligible for outreach, we compare residents and non-residents exiting the same jail over time in a difference-in-differences design. When the program begins, 180-day recidivism rates fall by 12 percentage points more for eligible residents than for would-be-eligible non-residents. Measured effects at one year are consistent with a persistent impact over time. We also find suggestive evidence that recidivism effects are larger for people without a history of mental healthcare.

Suggested Citation

  • Batistich, Mary Kate & Evans, William N. & Phillips, David C., 2025. "Reducing the burden of mental illness on the criminal justice system: Evidence from light-touch outreach," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:146:y:2025:i:c:s0094119024001049
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2024.103734
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mental health; Crime; Recidivism; Jail;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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