Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Supporting prisoners with mental health needs in the transition to RESETtle in the community: the RESET study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Homelessness is linked to poor mental health and an increased likelihood of offending. People often lose accommodation when they enter prison and struggle to find accommodation upon release leading to an increased likelihood of relapse and reoffending. The RESET intervention was developed to support prisoners with mental health needs for 12 weeks after release to coordinate their transition into the community and obtaining secure housing.

Methods

The primary objective of the study was to assess the participants housing situation. A prospective cohort design followed up 62 prisoners with mental health needs for 9 months post-release. Data were collected at three time points regarding accommodation, reoffending and contact and engagement with services. Inferential statistics using Chi-squared tests and t tests were used to examine differences in scores between the two groups at each time point.

Results

The RESET group was significantly more likely to have secure housing at all three time points being housed for approximately twice as many days than the comparison group (244 vs 129 days at 9 months: p ≤ 0.01). The RESET group also had a significantly greater level of contact with GPs and significantly more received benefits at all three time points.

Conclusion

This is the first study to focus on reducing homeless for recently released prisoners with mental health needs. The RESET intervention was successful in achieving its main objective; accommodating participants in permanent housing and reducing homelessness. There was also an association between receiving the intervention and greater engagement with other services. This supports the view that secure housing is important in ensuring a positive transition from prison to the community for prisoners with mental health needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. UK Ministry of Justice (2019) Prison population figures: monthly bulletin March 2019. Ministry of Justice, HM prison service, and her majesty’s prison and probation service. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2019. Accessed 12 Mar 2020

  2. Singleton N, Meltzer H, Gatward R, Coid J, Deasy D (1998) Psychiatric morbidity among prisoners in England and Wales. Stationery Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  3. Meltzer H, Gill B, Pettigrew M, Hinds K (1995) The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among adults living in private households. Psychiatric Survey Report No. 1 HMSO, London

  4. McManus S, Bebbington P, Jenkins R, Brugha T (eds) (2016) Mental health and wellbeing in England: adult psychiatric morbidity survey 2014. NHS Digital, Leeds

    Google Scholar 

  5. Homeless Link (2014) The unhealthy state of homelessness. Homeless Link, London. https://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/The%20unhealthy%20state%20of%20homelessness%20FINAL.pdf. Accessed 5 May 2020

  6. Crisis UK (2019) One year closer to ending homelessness—trustees’ annual report and accounts for the year ended 30 June 2019. Crisis UK, London. https://www.crisis.org.uk/media/241347/cri0217_impact_report_2019_aw_web.pdf. Accessed 12 Mar 2020

  7. The Centre for Social Justice (2010) Green paper on criminal justice and addiction. The Centre for Social Justice, London. https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/core/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CSJ_Green_paper_criminal_justice.pdf. Accessed 12 Mar 2020

  8. UK Ministry of Justice (2013) Compendium of re-offending statistics and analysis. Ministry of Justice. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/2013-compendium-of-re-offending-statistics-and-analysis. Accessed 19 Apr 2020

  9. Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) (2018) Rough sleeping in London—CHAIN annual report greater London April 2017–March 2018. Greater London Authority, London. https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/chain-reports. Accessed 19 Apr 2020

  10. UK Ministry of Justice (2012) Accommodation, homelessness and reoffending of prisoners: results from the surveying prisoner crime reduction (SPCR) no fixed abode: the implications for homeless people in the criminal justice system survey. Ministry of Justice. https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121003020804tf_/http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research-and-analysis/moj/results-from-the-surveying-prisoner-crime-reduction-spcr-survey. Accessed 19 Apr 2020

  11. Senior J, Birmingham L, Harty MA et al (2013) Identification and management of prisoners with severe psychiatric illness by specialist mental health services. Psychol Med 43(7):1511–1520. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291712002073

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Harty M, Jarrett M, Thornicroft G, Shaw J (2012) Unmet needs of male prisoners under the care of prison mental health inreach services. J Forensic Psychiatry Psychol 23(3):285–296. https://doi.org/10.1080/14789949.2012.690101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Wilson AB (2013) How people with serious mental illness seek help after leaving jail. Qual Health Res 23(12):1575–1590. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732313508476

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lennox C, Senior J, King C, Hassan L, Clayton R, Thornicroft G, Shaw J (2012) The management of released prisoners with severe and enduring mental illness. J Forensic Psychiatry Psychol 23(1):67–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/14789949.2011.634921

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Theurer G, Lovell D (2008) Recidivism of offenders with mental illness released from prison to an intensive community treatment program. J Offender Rehabil 47(4):385–406. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509670801995023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Hopkin G, Thornicroft G (2014) Engagement with mental health services on release from prison. J Forensic Res. https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7145.1000219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Pratt D, Piper M, Appleby L, Webb R, Shaw J (2006) Suicide in recently released prisoners: a population-based cohort study. Lancet 368:119–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69002-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Woodall J, White J, South J (2013) Improving health and well-being through community health champions: a thematic evaluation of a programme in Yorkshire and Humber. Perspect Public Health 133(2):96–103. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913912453669

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Shaw J, Conover S, Herman D et al (2017) Critical time Intervention for severely mentally ill prisoners (CrISP): a randomised controlled trial. Health Serv Deliv Res 5(8):1–138. https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr05080

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Williamson M (2007) Primary care for offenders: what are the issues and what is to be done? Qual Prim Care 15:301–305

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hartfree Y, Dearden C, Pound E (2008) High hopes: supporting ex-prisoners in their lives after prison. Department for work and pensions research Report No 509, London. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep509.pdf. Accessed 5 May 2020

  22. Bradley K (2009) The Bradley report: Lord Bradley’s review of people with mental health problems or learning disabilities in the criminal justice system. Department of health, London. https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130105193845/http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_098698.pdf. Accessed 5 May 2020

  23. Netto N, Carter JM, Bonell C (2014) A systematic review of interventions that adopt the “good lives” approach to offender rehabilitation. J Offender Rehabil 53:403–432. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2014.931746

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Scoones CD, Willis GM, Grace RC (2012) Beyond static and dynamic risk factors: the incremental validity of release planning for predicting sex offender recidivism. J Interpers Violence 27(2):222–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hopkin G, Evans-Lacko S, Forrester A, Shaw J, Thornicroft G (2018) Interventions at the transition from prison to the community for prisoners with mental illness: a systematic review. Adm Policy Ment Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-018-0848-z

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Susser E, Valencia E, Conover S, Felix A, Tsai WY, Wyatt RJ (1997) Preventing recurrent homelessness among mentally ill men: a ‘critical time’ intervention after discharge from a shelter. Am J Public Health 87:256–262. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.87.2.256

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Lennox C, Kirkpatrick T, Taylor RS et al (2017) Pilot randomised controlled trial of the ENGAGER collaborative care intervention for prisoners with common mental health problems, near to and after release. Pilot Feasibility Stud 4:15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-017-0163-6

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Nacro (2020) Resettlement guide for healthcare staff. Nacro, London. https://3bx16p38bchl32s0e12di03h-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Resettlement-Guide-Healthcare.pdf. Accessed 5 Dec 2020

  29. Tait L, Birchwood M, Trower P (2002) A new scale (SES) to measure engagement with community mental health services. J Ment Health 11(2):191–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638230020023570-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Homeless Link (2018) Working with prison leavers. Resource for homelessness services. The Homeless Link Research Team, London. https://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/Working%20with%20prison%20leavers%20March%202018.pdf. Accessed 5 May 2020

  31. Hancock N, Smith-Merry J, Mckenzie K (2018) Facilitating people living with severe and persistent mental illness to transition from prison to community: a qualitative exploration of staff experiences. Int J Ment Health Syst 12:45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-018-0225-z

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Quinn C, Byng R, Shenton D et al (2018) The feasibility of following up prisoners, with mental health problems, after release: a pilot trial employing an innovative system, for engagement and retention in research, with a harder-to-engage population. Trials 19:530. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-018-2911-1

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2002) Reducing re-offending by ex-prisoners. Social Exclusion Unit, London. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/poverty/downloads/keyofficialdocuments/Reducing%20Reoffending.pdf. Accessed 19 May 2020

  34. The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (2017) Scotland’s mental health and capacity law: the case for reform. https://www.mwcscot.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-06/scotland_s_mental_health_and_capacity_law_0.pdf. Accessed 19 May 2020

  35. Reeve K, Mccarthy L, Pattison B, Parr S, Batty E, Maye-Banbury A, Bashir N, Dayson C (2018) The mental health needs of Nottingham’s homeless population: an exploratory research study—executive summary. Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield. https://www4.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/mental-health-nottinghams-homeless-population-exec-summary.pdf. Accessed 5 May 2020

  36. Shelter Scotland (2015) Preventing homelessness and reducing reoffending—insights from service users of the supporting prisoners. Advice Network, Scotland. https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1185787/Preventing_Homelessness_and_Reducing_Reoffending_092015_FINAL.pdf/_nocache. Accessed 19 May 2020

  37. National Statistics (2020) Offender management statistics quarterly: October to December 2019. Ministry of Justice. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2019. Accessed 5 May 2020

  38. Centre for Mental Health (2013) The Bradley Commission—briefing 1: black and minority ethnic communities, mental health and criminal justice. Centre for Mental Health, London. https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-09/Bradley_Commission_briefing1_BME.pdf. Accessed 5 May 2020

Download references

Funding

The study was funded by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK

    Douglas MacInnes & Jacqueline Tallent

  2. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Al Aditya Khan, Fananidzai Hove & Janet Parrott

  3. Nacro, London, UK

    Helen Dyson

  4. Clarion Housing Group, London, UK

    Tessa Grandi

Authors
  1. Douglas MacInnes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Al Aditya Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jacqueline Tallent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fananidzai Hove
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Helen Dyson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Tessa Grandi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Janet Parrott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Douglas MacInnes.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Three of the authors (AK, FH and JP) work for the Trust. However, the project was conducted independently of the funders and the views expressed in the paper are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.

Ethics approval

Ethical approval was obtained from the East of England—Essex Research Ethics Committee in December 2015 (Reference Number 15/EE/0414) and from the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) (Reference Number 2016-099) in August 2016.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 48 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

MacInnes, D., Khan, A.A., Tallent, J. et al. Supporting prisoners with mental health needs in the transition to RESETtle in the community: the RESET study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 56, 2095–2105 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-021-02045-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-021-02045-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation