Conceptualizing restorative justice for people with mental illnesses leaving prison or jail.

Abstract

Individuals with psychiatric disabilities who are involved in the criminal justice system face a number of challenges to community integration upon release. There is a critical need to develop and evaluate interventions for these individuals that connect them to the community by enhancing naturalistic social connections and helping them to participate meaningfully in valued roles. The purposes of this article are to describe, provide a theoretical rationale, and propose a conceptual model for the use of a particular restorative justice model, circles of support and accountability, to meet this need. We describe the principles of restorative justice (repairing harm, stakeholder involvement, and the transformation of community and governmental roles and relationships) and how these map on to elements of the circles intervention. These elements include a focus on community participation, positive social support, democratic decision making, collective ownership of crime problems, and connection to community-based resources. We then suggest how changes in identity transformation, moral development and motivation, and collective efficacy might mediate relationships between these intervention elements and community integration outcomes. Finally, we encourage the systematic evaluation of the circles intervention for people with mental health conditions leaving custody and provide recommendations for policy and practice. Public Policy Relevance StatementThe combined challenges associated with experiencing a mental health condition and justice system involvement put those with psychiatric disabilities leaving custody particularly at risk for social and community exclusion. Interventions like circles of support and accountability have the potential to positively impact both justice-involved individuals and the larger communities in which they live, but have not been implemented or studied for those with mental health conditions. By describing, providing a theoretical rationale, and proposing a conceptual model for the use of circles for this group, this article accomplishes a requisite step in advancing policy developments in this area.

Healthcare-induced trauma in correctional facilities: a qualitative exploration

“…Providing professional development and training for both correctional officers and healthcare staff about reflective listening could improve staff capacity to respond in meaningful ways to individual’s concerns; the relatively simple act of validation (I see you, I hear you- can offer relief) (Kubiak, Covington, & Hillier, 2017 ; Levenson & Willis, 2019 ; Miller & Najavits, 2012 ). Similarly, building restorative circles that allow incarcerated people and medical providers to communicate about the challenges they have both faced could improve communication and build trust (Thomas, Bilger, Wilson, & Draine, 2019 ). Finally, correctional facilities might develop a community health workers model, as has been done outside prison, to train incarcerated people to help peers navigate the healthcare system and build trust (Morse et al, 2017 ; Shavit et al, 2017 ).…”

Returning Citizens and Point of Entry: Is There a Match?

“…By identifying hot spots for returning citizens, efforts can be made to help communities offer restorative opportunities for their returning residents (Bazemore & Stinchcomb, 2004; Gunnison & Helfgoft, 2017). Thomas et al (2019) offer “circles of support” as a promising model, which is used in other countries, to promote successful transitions of returning citizens and community integration.…”

Mental health recovery: Peer specialists with mental health and incarceration experiences.

“…Finally, finding other ways, besides working as peer support specialists, for individuals to give back and recast past identities is important to the recovery process as not everyone with these histories desire to become peer support specialists. For example, interventions based on restorative justice principles, such as circles of support and accountability, have the potential to aid in identity transformation and build capacity and motivation for moral behavior (Thomas, Bilger, Wilson, & Draine, 2018). Supporting and activating these processes of hope, connectedness, identity, meaningfulness, and empowerment should be a focus of recovery-oriented services for individuals with experiences of mental illnesses leaving jail and prison.…”