Mental Health, Substance Use, and Co-Occurring Disorders among Jail Inmates: Prevalence, Impact on Recidivism, and Gender Differences

Few studies have examined the relationship between mental health, substance use, co-occurring disorders and recidivism among the jail population. This study examined the prevalence of mental illness, substance use, co-occurring disorders among a cohort (January 2015) of jail inmates in a Midwestern county, as well as whether inmates with these problems were at increased risk for returns to jail within one year. Gender differences in mental illness, substance use, co-occurring disorders and recidivism patterns were also examined. Results suggest that mental illness is related to recidivism among male and female jail inmates. Substance use does not increase the likelihood of recidivism among males and females but co-occurring disorders do increase the probability of recidivism in male and female jail inmates. Implications for research and policy will also be discussed