Describing and evaluating jail diversion services for persons with seriousmental illness

Despite efforts over the last 30 years to promote diversion from jail for i ndividuals with serious mental illness who have engaged in criminal behavio r, few jail diversion programs have been adequately studied. To guide devel opment of jail diversion services and encourage empirical research on their effectiveness, the authors describe the overall concept of jail diversion and the basic operations of such a program. They also outline research issu es in evaluating the effectiveness of jail diversion programs, including pr oblems encountered in randomized field trials and quasiexperimental designs . Implications of jail diversion services for mental health professionals i nclude learning how to collaborate with law enforcement personnel, sufficie ntly integrating mental health and substance abuse services into the crimin al justice system despite segregated funding streams, and ensuring that cli ents who are intensively monitored are also provided with adequate treatmen t to avoid jail recidivism.