COD services in community correctional settings: an examination of organizational factors that affect service delivery

Little is known about service delivery for those in the correctional system with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders (COD). Using data from the National Criminal Justice Treatment Practices survey (NCJTP) on community corrections and jail agencies, this study found that correctional organizations that offer COD services differ from agencies that do not. Organizations that respond to the needs of COD offenders tend to be more "service friendly," rank higher on measures of various dimensions of organizational climate that embrace learning and goal achievement, and tend to adopt more innovations, particularly those classified as evidence-based practices. These survey findings indicate that correctional agencies who serve COD offenders are in a better position to be responsive to the changing service needs of the populations, and are more likely to be able to balance public safety and treatment goals. Future steps to develop support environments for COD assessment and treatment services are discussed in light of these findings.     

Tie strength and family formation: Which personal relationships are influential?

On the basis of the analysis of qualitative interviews in Western Germany, it has been argued that personal relationships have a strong impact on individuals' family formation processes and childbearing intentions. Persons who influence individuals' childbearing choices were identified. Strong ties, such as among core family members (i.e., parents and siblings), are an important contributing factor, but the authors are also able to show that weak ties, such as those among colleagues and acquaintances, need to be considered when examining social influence on family formation processes. Apart from single network partners, influential groups of persons have been identified. Such groups serve as a comparative standard regarding the timing of having one's first child and subsequent children.     

Willingness of Mentally Ill Individuals to Sign Up for a Novel Proposal to Prevent Firearm Suicide

The study goal was to determine whether a significant number of high suicide risk individuals would confidentially put their own names onto a list to prevent future gun purchases. An anonymous written survey was administered in an inpatient psychiatric unit and two outpatient psychiatric clinics at an academic medical center. Two hundred forty individuals were approached to fill out the survey, of whom 200 (83.3%) did so. Forty‐six percent of participants stated that they would put their own name onto the list. This novel suicide prevention proposal, a Do‐Not‐Sell List, would appeal to many people at high risk for suicide.