Recidivism among Previously Incarcerated People Enrolled in Riverside County Whole Person Care

The United States continues to policy shift towards reducing the number of incarcerated people; however, many people released from incarceration will be rearrested due to re-entry challenges. Several re-entry programs, such as the Whole Person Care pilot, have been developed to address these challenges and ensure that formerly incarcerated people successfully transition into the community. The primary aim of this project is to explore the determinants of recidivism among previously incarcerated people enrolled in the Whole Person Care pilot in Riverside County. This study suggests early linkage to services, such as mental health and substance use treatment services, will reduce the likelihood of recidivism within 12 months. It further proposes that housing status at release will increase recidivism risk and reduce the number of days till first rearrests. Finally, the study proposes that early linkage to Medicaid will increase service use, consequently reducing the likelihood of recidivism. The findings from this project support that hypothesis by showing that engagement in services reduced the likelihood of recidivism. It further identified a lack of housing at release as a significant predictor of recidivism within 12 months. Finally, two indirect pathways through which Medicaid insurance reduces recidivism were identified. These findings have important implications for policies that aim to reduce the prison population. In addition, the findings have significant implications for program planners who are developing re-entry interventions