Rethinking Jail Rehabilitation: Evaluating an Intensive Outpatient Program

Abstract

The goal of the intensive outpatient program was to provide services to individuals who presented with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. These services were provided to incarcerated individuals during their involvement with a large Midwestern jail facility in efforts to reduce recidivism. Behavior change is a difficult process for any population, but for those with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders, it is particularly challenging. With psychotherapeutic interventions, there may be therapeutic benefits that are occurring through outcomes such as increased insight into one's problems, attitudinal shifts, or improved coping that cannot be captured by tracking recidivism.

Keywords: comorbidity, intervention; jail; recidivism; rehabilitation.