An exploration of social policy and organizational culture in jail-based mental health services
- Resource Type
- Original Paper
- Authors
- des Cruser, Anges; Diamond, Pamela M.
- Source
- Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. November 1996 24(2):129-148
- Subject
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0894-587X
1573-3289
Mental health staff encounter difficulties delivering services to mentally ill offenders in the criminal justice system environment. This manuscript explores administrative and clinical policy changes made in a mental health program in a mega jail environment resulting in improved inter-agency communications and access to services for mentally impaired offenders. The authors use attribution theory to explain changes in the social policy and organizational culture of the program. The authors suggest the use of two value-based schema as tools to prompt discussions about and improve the relationship between the criminal justice and mental health service systems.