Sonya Shadravan1,2, Dustin Stephens2,3, Oona Appel1,2, Kristen Ochoa1,2. 1. Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA. 2. Office of Diversion and Reentry, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Los Angeles, CA. 3. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Los Angeles, CA.
Abstract
Objective: To describe the demographic, legal, and clinical characteristics of a cross-section of incarcerated homeless individuals with the highest utilization of Los Angeles (LA) County public services in order to increase opportunities for focused jail diversion. Methods: The "5% list" (N=5,905 in February 2018), LA County's list of homeless individuals with the highest 5% utilization of public services, was cross-matched with the total jail population to obtain a sample of 333 homeless high-utilizing individuals. This sample was compared with the overall jail population (N=17,121) from publicly available aggregate data by Chi-square testing. Results: 84% of the high-utilizing sample were male, 38% Black, 37% Hispanic, 21% White. 67% were prescribed psychiatric medication. Compared with the overall jail population, the sample was significantly older, with a greater proportion of Black and White persons, and a lesser proportion of Hispanic individuals relative to the overall jail population. A significantly greater proportion of high-utilizing individuals faced misdemeanor charges. Conclusion: These data highlight the compounding effects of homelessness, race, and mental illness on carceral and social vulnerability. Findings suggest homeless high utilizers in jail with mental illness are likely to benefit from court-based diversion efforts aimed at housing and treatment.
Objective: To describe the demographic, legal, and clinical characteristics of a cross-section of incarcerated homeless individuals with the highest utilization of Los Angeles (LA) County public services in order to increase opportunities for focused jail diversion. Methods: The "5% list" (N=5,905 in February 2018), LA County's list of homeless individuals with the highest 5% utilization of public services, was cross-matched with the total jail population to obtain a sample of 333 homeless high-utilizing individuals. This sample was compared with the overall jail population (N=17,121) from publicly available aggregate data by Chi-square testing. Results: 84% of the high-utilizing sample were male, 38% Black, 37% Hispanic, 21% White. 67% were prescribed psychiatric medication. Compared with the overall jail population, the sample was significantly older, with a greater proportion of Black and White persons, and a lesser proportion of Hispanic individuals relative to the overall jail population. A significantly greater proportion of high-utilizing individuals faced misdemeanor charges. Conclusion: These data highlight the compounding effects of homelessness, race, and mental illness on carceral and social vulnerability. Findings suggest homeless high utilizers in jail with mental illness are likely to benefit from court-based diversion efforts aimed at housing and treatment.
Authors: William B Hawthorne; David P Folsom; David H Sommerfeld; Nicole M Lanouette; Marshall Lewis; Gregory A Aarons; Richard M Conklin; Ellen Solorzano; Laurie A Lindamer; Dilip V Jeste Journal: Psychiatr Serv Date: 2012-01 Impact factor: 3.084